Business Steam rules updated to prohibit content that violates rules set forth by payment processors and banks - Valve's rules regarding what developers "shouldn't publish on Steam" have a new clause regarding standards set forth by payment processors.

https://automaton-media.com/en/news/steam-rules-updated-to-prohibit-content-that-violates-rules-set-forth-by-payment-processors-and-banks/

https://archive.ph/NXq04

Valve's rules regarding what developers "shouldn't publish on Steam" have a new clause regarding standards set forth by payment processors.

2025-07-16 17:17
Amber V



Valve has updated its rules regarding content that developers aren’t allowed to publish on Steam (as reported by Game*Spark [archive]). The “Rules and Guidelines” section of Steamworks Documentation now has an extra clause, and it suggests that publishers are required to comply with rules and standards set forth by various third parties involved in processing electronic payments. The rule seems to be predominantly related to adult content.

What you shouldn’t publish on Steam:
15. Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam’s payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content.

Prior to the update, the list included 14 clauses, prohibiting things like hate speech, malware, sexual content depicting real people and any form of exploitation of children. The new 15th clause suggests that Steam may additionally have to crack down on specific types of adult content in response to the requirements of payment processors and banks. There are currently no specific examples of what this may entail.

Update (2025/07/15 at 18:30 JST): According to SteamDB [wayback], a large number of games has been removed from the platform in the past 16 hours. Judging rom the list, it appears “sex simulator” type games with keywords such as “incest” and “slavery” make up the majority. There are some confusing cases like the removal of the Ace Attorney-inspired investigation game Trails of Innocence, although this could be a coincidental deletion.

On a related note, various video game and manga hosting platforms in Japan have in recent years run into trouble with payment processors and credit card networks. Due to certain content on the platforms going against the (often undisclosed) rules and standards of third parties handling payments, the platforms ended up without support for credit card payment. This has led to loss of revenue and even the closure of platforms like Manga Library Z. It is possible that Steam’s new rule is a means to prevent such complications from arising, however, as the specific “rules and standards” of the payment processors are also unclear, publishers might need to be extra cautious with releasing their games on the platform.

Related articles: “It’s a security hole that endangers democracy itself.” NieR creator speaks out against payment processors pressuring Japanese adult content platforms

Visa Japan’s CEO says disabling card payment for legal adult content is “necessary to protect the brand”

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Niche Gamer: Steam updates rules to comply with payment processor censorship (archive)
Wccftech: Steam Publishing Guidelines Updated With Clause Prohibiting Content That Violates Payment Processor and Bank Rules (archive)

Rock Paper Shotgun: Valve change Steam's rules to let banks and credit card firms prohibit "certain kinds of adult only content" (archive)

In particular, this could lead to a stifling of games that are in any way non-conforming, particularly given the current climate of repression in Valve's home country, the USA. I know about the rule change thanks to Youtuber and self-described former game developer NoahFuel Gaming, who has posted on Bluesky about the potential fallout for projects the banks and financial corporations consider "adult" because they deviate from reactionary framings of sex and gender. As the Youtuber writes: "Queer content gets flagged as 'explicit' even when it's PG. A trans dev making a personal story? 'Too controversial.' A surreal queer VN? 'Sexualized.' Financial deplatforming in action."

GamesRadar: Steam now prohibits games that violate the "rules and standards" of payment processors, banks, and more, and users are worried it might affect more than just "certain kinds of adult-only content" (archive)

"Yeah... this is something that looks innocuous at first glance but it's a trojan horse," another believes. "LGBTQ+ has a habit of being mysteriously flagged as 'adult only.'" On ResetEra, similar points are being shared, as one writes: "Today it's porn games, tomorrow any game with LGBTQ+ content because it ends up labelled as 'adult.'"

Notebookcheck: Steam tightens adult content rules after pressure from payment giants (archive)

As spotted [archive] by TheGamer, this triggered a mini-purge according to the Steam Database, with many problematic games such as "Incest Tales", "Wolf on Rail", "Sex Village", "Slave of the Police Officer", and many more, being delisted from the storefront.

GamingOnLinux: Valve gets pressured by payment processors with a new rule for game devs and various adult games removed (archive)

 

[Serbian Peacekeepers]

I like how I said that in 5 pages it would be totally off topic, and then within 3 pages of that comment we already have people starting up the loli-debate for the 7th billionth time.

Maybe we should let the store decide what legal products they want to sell and not the banks and payment processors they have no oversight?

Impossible, you must, instead, willfully allow a system that will be abused to no end, and give even more power to unelected money men, to exist purely so you can epically own people on the internet.

 

[Endless Torment]

I'm annoyed reading comments across the Internet blaming the opposing political party instead of realizing it's a bipartisan issue.

 

[Fount of BadSpeak]

I wonder how Null feels that this site loves debanking and the fact that payment processors get to control what people are allowed to buy as long as it agrees with their values considering the same thing has happened to Null?

Maybe we should let the store decide what legal products they want to sell and not the banks and payment processors that have no oversight?

These people are profound idiots too stupid to comprehend the second and third order effects of the things they support. They do not care that their support is directly contradictory of their support of Null, because their collective IQs could freeze a bowl of water. Universal suffrage was by far the worst thing to ever happen to the West in the modern era.

 

[Maggots on a Train v2]

They stealth forced an update in March that bricked their program on my computer. I guess I'll just sell the contents of my account at some point, I definitely won't be buying an even shittier and slower current machine just so I can run Steam.

 

[Jace on ice]

I wonder how Null feels that this site loves debanking and the fact that payment processors get to control what people are allowed to buy as long as it agrees with their values considering the same thing has happened to Null?

It's kind of his own fault though. He reeeeeeeeeeeeed about lolicon shit so hard that MATHI's brain dead audience started supporting mass censorship, debanking, and payment processor kikes to "own the animez and teh Vtubers."

I guess now that trannies aren't fashionable anymore this site needed something else to screech endlessly about.

I don't care for Vtubers and think they're gay so I ignore them, is it that fucking hard?

 

[Terrifik]

I like how I said that in 5 pages it would be totally off topic, and then within 3 pages of that comment we already have people starting up the loli-debate for the 7th billionth time.

Impossible, you must, instead, willfully allow a system that will be abused to no end, and give even more power to unelected money men, to exist purely so you can epically own people on the internet.

It's the lowest you can go legally for legal gaming content beyond a crypto/ai game.

People are getting that this is rule that gives to much power to bank & little to steam with little to no wiggle room.
Modding/mods are next on list about ip copyright.

 

[X Prime]

I wonder how Null feels that this site loves debanking and the fact that payment processors get to control what people are allowed to buy as long as it agrees with their values considering the same thing has happened to Null?

Maybe we should let the store decide what legal products they want to sell and not the banks and payment processors that have no oversight?

I think it is absolutely unwise to assume Dear Leader has a given straightforward opinion on this. He has absolutely posted before regarding coomers, particularly of the lolicon variety, not actually caring about free speech, debanking, or any of the related issues; only their ability to coom.

 

[Endless Torment]

I think it is absolutely unwise to assume Dear Leader has a given straightforward opinion on this. He has absolutely posted before regarding coomers, particularly of the lolicon variety, not actually caring about free speech, debanking, or any of the related issues; only their ability to coom.

People celebrate Null being debanked because they believe him and his actions are immoral and at the moment you and others similar to you are celebrating because payment processors are going after people you consider immoral.

If you wish to go after material you consider obscene and if others wish to change doxing and privacy laws then you should go through the government and not rely on soulless bankers who have no oversight.

 

[Terrifik]

I think it is absolutely unwise to assume Dear Leader has a given straightforward opinion on this. He has absolutely posted before regarding coomers, particularly of the lolicon variety, not actually caring about free speech, debanking, or any of the related issues; only their ability to coom.

There going to be stream about this on Friday unless Elon can push coomer ai meme up to 11 by Friday.
Only bad news may lead to destruction of old video before stop killing games get going.
Debunking is bad their should be rules against. (Supreme Court ruling copium)
** but ,know it used as tool by government to get around government can't ban x or y***

 

[Endless Torment]

Might as well post Null's tweet about it.

 

[Elite Kipchak]

>the civil war was about states rights
>states rights to do what though?
>t-that's not the point!
stop being slimy and just admit exactly what you're advocating for.

 

[Soyjak Enjoyer]

>the heckin evil payment processors forced steam to remove
>checks notes
>Interactive Sex - Futanari Incest - Episode 4
an incredible loss and a devastating blow to artistic freedom. You will be missed, Incest Tales: Sister and Mom.

Futanari incest is free speech faggot. If you want it censored by the payment processor cartel you're a faggot little bitch

 

[Slap47]

While I generally oppose debanking, in this case it mainly just affects degenerate lolicon and incest slop. Neither are worth defending.

This stuff is the canary in the coal mine. You simply must defend it to have any precedent to stand on.

 

[potato in mah painus]

This stuff is the canary in the coal mine. You simply must defend it to have any precedent to stand on.

This so much, let the gooners have their trash. I have seen the slippery slope work its ways too many times to ever support destroying something I dislike.

 

[God of Nothing]

oh my fucking god

The games in question this would eliminate from distribution, at least by Steam, have pedophilia, yes. Fact you're not pissed at Steam for not banning it before all of this and only doing it now because muh payment processors is proof you're fucking retarded. There is another, bigger issue at hand here. Jesus fucking Christ.

 

[COME ON OUT YOU RAPIST]

oh my fucking god

The games in question this would eliminate from distribution, at least by Steam, have pedophilia, yes. Fact you're not pissed at Steam for not banning it before all of this and only doing it now because muh payment processors is proof you're fucking retarded. There is another, bigger issue at hand here. Jesus fucking Christ.

FPS games are violent murder simulators that teach children how to gun down crowds of people. Our benevolent overlords at Visa agree, they won't allow you to buy them anymore.

 

[God of Nothing]

FPS games are violent murder simulators that teach children how to gun down crowds of people. Our benevolent overlords at Visa agree, they won't allow you to buy them anymore.

damn, the moral arbitrators have decided on it so we must capitulate
why just the other day my sixteen year old cousin posted some awful thing about our wonderful somalis and was banned from ever buying anything
truly they are good people with our best interest at heart

say, have you seen my cat?

 

[Lvkester Endorser]

oh my fucking god

The games in question this would eliminate from distribution, at least by Steam, have pedophilia, yes. Fact you're not pissed at Steam for not banning it before all of this and only doing it now because muh payment processors is proof you're fucking retarded. There is another, bigger issue at hand here. Jesus fucking Christ.

...or one actually wasn't aware of the fact that these games exist on Steam?

 

[God of Nothing]

...or one actually wasn't aware of the fact that these games exist on Steam?

Have you actually browsed the steam page at all lately?
Or ever?

 

[Lvkester Endorser]

Have you actually browsed the steam page at all lately?
Or ever?

I browse it a few times a year, mostly around summer/winter/fall sales. Never have I seen games about pedophilia or incest. Knowing it's there I have to wonder why steam even allowed this shit on the platform in the first place. Ideally, steam would be cracking down on this degeneracy, but since they haven't, I'm not gonna pretend to be upset someone else got the ball rolling.