https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/it-s-the-end-of-an-era-for-steam-and-valve/ar-AA1KrN6O?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=689d0b78ae9f477a8f2db8de3e2ccbfe&ei=20
Over the last couple of weeks, gamers have been in an uproar over credit
card companies like Visa and MasterCard pressuring platforms to remove
or delist video games with “mature content.” Many have argued that the claims that this is only about illegal or inappropriate material are
actually a cover for targeting queer games or titles with adult themes.
Steam is one of the platforms that gave in to the pressure, removing
various games at the request of Visa and MasterCard. Created by Valve,
Steam is the most widely used site for downloading games on Mac and PC. However, the fact that it can be pushed to remove content at the request
of lobbyist groups suggests that the platform is an unsafe space for developers.
Payment Processors Are Pressuring Storefronts Like Steam
In mid-July, Steam began removing games, claiming the action was at the
request of its payment processors, targeting hentai titles in
particular. While Steam and other storefronts do have an issue with
shovelware, this isn’t the solution. Many gamers have already pointed
out that banning “adult content” without clear definitions is often used
as a cudgel to block games that tackle serious subjects or queer themes.
Collective Shout, the advocacy group that claimed victory for getting
these games pulled from Steam, has also set its sights on Grand Theft
Auto and Detroit: Become Human, showing they’re not afraid to target
more mainstream titles as well. The bigger problem is that there’s no practical way to apply these standards consistently. It’s hard to draw
the line between a game about overcoming trauma from abuse and one that
shows abuse just for audience gratification.
To implement this, Steam would need strict and specific guidelines,
which would inevitably affect popular releases like the upcoming Game of Thrones game or Baldur’s Gate 3. The easiest solution is for parents and users to rely on the existing tags and filters to curate an experience,
rather than expecting the storefront to remove those games entirely.
Valve And Payment Processors Are At Odds
Valve has stated they are following requests from payment processors,
but Mastercard claims it did not single out any games and allows “all
lawful transactions.” Valve, however, maintains that Mastercard, through intermediaries such as payment processors, cited a Mastercard rule about
brand damage to push changes to Steam’s policy.
The rule in question states: “A Merchant must not submit to its
Acquirer, and a Customer must not submit to the Interchange System, any Transaction that is illegal, or in the sole discretion of the
Corporation, may damage the goodwill of the Corporation or reflect
negatively on the Marks.”
In short, Mastercard doesn’t want merchants selling anything that could
harm the company’s brand. This gives Mastercard a lot of influence over
what can be sold on Steam, with the clause letting it decide what’s unacceptable.
The policy prohibits the sale of material that is “patently offensive
and lacks serious artistic value (such as, by way of example and not limitation, images of nonconsensual sexual behavior, sexual exploitation
of a minor, nonconsensual mutilation of a person or body part, and
bestiality), or any other material that the Corporation deems
unacceptable to sell in connection with a Mark.”
At the bare minimum, games like Mortal Kombat and Dead Space feature the “nonconsensual mutilation of a person or a body part.” Banning images of nonconsensual sexual behavior will also apply to games about abuse
survivors that explore their trauma, and the rule includes a loophole
allowing Mastercard to add whatever it sees fit. This approach isn’t sustainable for game developers.
Developers Don't Know What to Expect from Steam Going Forward
Not only do developers of adult games who properly label and warn about
their content have to contend with the risk of being delisted. Not only
does this stop certain topics from even being discussed constructively
in games. Not only does this push developers toward compromising their
creative vision.
It also puts them at risk of being targeted by a hate campaign that
could get a game pulled entirely. Given the vagueness of the rules,
malicious actors could bypass review bombing and instead advocate for a
game's deplatforming altogether. It’s all too common to see claims that
any depiction of queer or trans relationships counts as “adult content,”
no matter how sanitized it is.
On top of that, it's possible to twist almost any game into seeming
harmful. Anyone who’s played Overcooked! would roll their eyes at the
idea it promotes violence, unsafe cooking conditions, or encourages kids
to play with fire hazards. But if Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal get
bombarded with complaints that it’s inappropriate for children, will
they know it’s in bad faith?
Mastercard doesn’t care enough to hire people to play every game that
gets a complaint to see if the claims are accurate. Steam might, but
that’s not helpful if the response is simply to capitulate. Removing
games is already bad on its own, but there’s a larger threat in creators deciding to make their games sanitized and advertiser-friendly just to
avoid potential problems in the long run.
Gamers online have mobilized into an ongoing movement to pressure
payment processors to reverse their decision, flooding call centers in
the hopes of changing their minds. Reports even claim that Mastercard
asked Riot Games to block discussion of the situation during live
tournaments.
Ultimately, getting payment processors to back down might not undo the
damage done to Steam’s reputation. While Itch.io has said they’re
looking for alternate payment processors and has started reindexing some
games, Steam hasn’t taken similar steps, instead insisting their hands
are tied.
Many developers have been left feeling like Valve is willing to throw
them under the bus. Without a clear commitment that Steam will stand by creators, there’s constant worry that the same situation could happen
again or that another wave of bad-faith attacks could target their work.
This will likely push some developers to leave Steam altogether and
could even slow the release of major console titles like GTA VI on the platform.
Steam Isn't the Only Option for Developers
When advertisers purged queer fan content from websites like
LiveJournal, the result was the creation of the fanfiction archive
Archive of Our Own, or AO3. AO3 is a nonprofit dedicated to archiving
fanworks and is firm in not banning specific types of content, which
might be the path many smaller indie creators take to avoid censorship
on Steam.
Itch.io’s announcement that it’s looking for other payment processors
means developers of queer and adult games may prefer to move there, or
use it to promote their work while adding a tip jar on sites like
Patreon and Ko-fi. A new storefront, whether Itch.io or another
platform, could become a safe haven for these developers and pull
attention away from Steam as indie-friendly competition.
Currently, Itch.io is well-known for hosting numerous game jams and
offering a diverse range of smaller games. If more major indie titles
start releasing exclusively on Itch.io due to its safety, the platform
could gain a larger market share. It’s also possible developers will
avoid centralized distribution platforms altogether, choosing instead to advertise through social media or focus on console releases.
If Valve wants to prevent that shift, the best move is to take an
affirmative anti-censorship stance and be transparent with creators
concerned about their livelihood. Many Steam users are already playing
older games in their backlogs, and if Steam makes it harder to play new
titles like GTA VI, some gamers might decide to move on from the platform.
--
I've done good in this world. Now I'm tired and just want to be a cranky
dirty old man.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)