Steam denies banning all NSFW games from early access, after requests from payment processors

Developers of adult games are finding it increasingly difficult to promote their creations. Following pressure from payment processors, Steam and Itch.io delisted some NSFW games. More recently, Steam informed several devs that their titles didn’t qualify for early access. However, now Valve’s marketplace may be changing its stance.

Ana Valens, who herself faced censorship over articles on the subject, updated readers on Bluesky. An unnamed developer shared a response from Steam support about early access qualification. According to the representative, the site considers games “on a case-by-case basis”. Also, “There is no blanket policy preventing certain games from using the Early Access model of development.”.

Despite the different tone, adult game makers find themselves in limbo. The lack of consistent feedback or a clear policy on mature content is troubling. Toward the end of August, the developer of Heavy Hearts received a far different response. The store informed Dammitbird that games with mature themes were ineligible for the program.  

NSFW games are still listed on Steam, with some offering early access. Yet, opponents of censorship fear that the payment processors influencing marketplaces will win out. Credit cards like Mastercard and Visa threatened to withdraw from Steam over content that violated their standards. Collective Shout, which campaigns against the objectification of women, claims to have successfully lobbied the companies. Many developers argue that their gamers don’t depict any illegal acts.

How gamers and retailers are fighting censorship

In the UK, efforts to compel legislators to intervene on behalf of consumers have been unsuccessful. In response to a petition, the government said it won't object to “commercial decisions” made by payment processors.

On the retailer side, some companies, like the Japanese DLsite, have opted to create in-house payment options. For now, Steam has not added any alternatives to its checkout page. That’s particularly frustrating, since PayPal is no longer available in many countries. It’s reported that some banks working with the service also object to NSFW content.

Steam Early Access is critical to gaining support and funding for projects. Adult game developers will continue to seek a more definitive response from Valve.