Steam Sexually Violent Game Crisis
Popular gaming platform Steam is on the agenda this time with a controversial game. The 3D visual novel called “No Mercy” created a huge controversy after its release on Steam in March. The game has been the target of criticism in many countries due to its incest and sexual violence themes. The game includes scenes where players forcefully “bond” female characters to themselves. This situation has been severely criticized by both the gaming community and government officials.
Steam is the Target of Backlash
The game’s inclusion on Steam has drawn backlash from politicians, especially in the United Kingdom. UK Technology Minister Peter Kyle described the game as “deeply concerning” and stated that platforms should quickly remove such content. The game has reportedly been removed from Steam in countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
However, the fact that it is still accessible in other countries has brought Valve’s content policy into question again. Valve does not require games to be approved by ratings bodies like ESRB or PEGI. This allows controversial content like “No Mercy” to easily find its way onto the platform.
“No Mercy” developer Zerat Games has continued to defend its content while announcing that the game will be removed. The development team stated that incest and sexual violence themes are “popular fetishes” and that such content should only be considered within the framework of a “game.” “This is a game, and it will continue to be a game, no matter how many people try to make it seem more than that,” the studio said.
The game has faced a huge backlash, with a petition on Change.org garnering over 10,000 signatures. Many players argued that it was unacceptable for a major platform like Steam to allow such content. On the other hand, some players argued that adult content should be protected under freedom of expression.
The “No Mercy” crisis highlights the need for Steam to rethink its content policies, and the platform may be forced to adopt a more transparent and strict policy in order to regain user trust in the wake of these controversies.
