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)

 

[biglurker]

The fags who bitch about porn are somehow the most low-IQ niggercattle in existence, as well as anyone who supports moves like this.
Its the whole "who cares if we have an easily abused surveillance and police state if it stops the terrorist!" levels of logic all over again. Except its worse because payment processors being petty tyrants is literally affecting you right now if you are using the farms. It never stops with the easy initial targets just as debanking didn't stop at terrorists, deplatforming didn't stop at "hate groups", and how ID requirements aren't stopping at porn sites as we speak.

 

[Null]

this is a game about futanari incest, not lolicon, and it's a 3d video game, not drawings, so the lolicon debate should go literally anywhere fucking else.

>company bans something that is against their TOS
>heh, it's the free market chud, if you don't like it then just boycott them or make your own competing business
>company that just so happens to process credit cards bans something that is against their TOS
>n-no, not my heckin child porn! government, save me!
kill yourselves.

credit card processors are financial services and their terms of service should be "we will authorize all legal transactions or an angry mob will rape us and hang us and then eat us in that order".

 

[Spoonge]

I don't remember you being this angry when payment processors basically banned furries from OnlyFans. Really makes me think.

Onlyfans was expected to cuck. Same with patreon and all those others. They have a history of cucking.

Valve? And Gabe in particular? They've got a history of being stubborn like the worst sort of donkey. Capitulation is a word that doeant exist in Newell's skull. So yeah its surprising. And worrying.

At least thats my stance.

(Watch as this turns out to be some 4d yahtzee move on the Fat Man's chessboard and we all got taken for a ride)

 

[Jet Fuel Johnny]

I hope that Steam acquiesing to it is only temporary until they can get enough lawyers to hit back with a lawsuit about these feminist nutjobs interfering with business.

 

[X Prime]

I don't think this is the hill that will make a judge look sympathetically at the payment processor issue.

We see many times throughout history where you have to have an icon worth a damn (or manufacture a public image of one) to enact some kind of change. Whether it's Rosa Parks or the whole Obergefell vs. Hodges clusterfuck. Futanari incest porno is not exactly on that level.

 

[Most Wanted Banana]

I don't have a strong opinion on porn games per se, but I see this as pure karma for the faggots who pushed for porn games on Steam on the first place. They're the ones responsible for Valve's retarded decision to remove quality control and allow any shit "game" on the store as long as the "developer" paid the $100. They're the ones who ultimately flooded the store with shoverlware, blockchain games, and AI slop, and I have nothing but contempt for them.

 

[The Mass Shooter Ron Soye]

I don't think this is the hill that will make a judge look sympathetically at the payment processor issue.

We see many times throughout history where you have to have an icon worth a damn (or manufacture a public image of one) to enact some kind of change. Whether it's Rosa Parks or the whole Obergefell vs. Hodges clusterfuck. Futanari incest porno is not exactly on that level.

I think a judge might be OK with the futanari incest. The real problem is that current US law apparently gives payment processors the ability to cut people or companies off, or threaten to do so, for any reason. No, compliance with obscenity laws is not the reason.

 

[gata]

Maybe porn games should be on a separate gaming platform? I don't know what will be a good option for this shit because steam (and even other platforms) suck ass at curating the games that being published and banks are scum.

 

[X Prime]

Valve? And Gabe in particular? They've got a history of being stubborn like the worst sort of donkey. Capitulation is a word that doeant exist in Newell's skull. So yeah its surprising. And worrying.

I question the logic of relying on the goodwill of one fat guy with a knife collection.

First off, God knows how long he is going to be alive. Secondly, I can't help but remember he was pretty big on the whole paid mods fiasco, and he partially capituated.

I think a judge might be OK with the futanari incest. The real problem is that current US law apparently gives payment processors the ability to cut people or companies off, or threaten to do so, for any reason. No, compliance with obscenity laws is not the reason.

Sure, but do you want to risk a good legal outcome? How do you judge shop nowadays for somebody who is going to overlook the very odious material involved? I just do not see it in this particular case.

 

[God of Nothing]

Maybe porn games should be on a separate gaming platform? I don't know what will be a good option for this shit because steam (and even other platforms) suck ass at curating the games that being published and banks are scum.

They used to be. Shit like Huniepop was scandalous on Steam but it's just tame now.

 

[Endless Torment]

I get zero fucking porn games on my homepage or anywhere on the site because I have it so porn games are hidden. Use the damn settings steam gives you.

 

[God of Nothing]

I get zero fucking porn games on my homepage or anywhere on the site because I have it so porn games are hidden. Use the damn settings steam gives you.

we live in an absurd world where you have to check the don't show porn option rather than check the show porn one

 

[Do Not Touch Me Pls]

Maybe porn games should be on a separate gaming platform? I don't know what will be a good option for this shit because steam (and even other platforms) suck ass at curating the games that being published and banks are scum.

It doesn't matter unles they accept only crypto and non-American payment methods (or cut it off from anyone but the Russians and Japanese basically).

Its hard to rally people to fight payment processor censorship, when the games being target or mostly incest sex fantasies. Not many people with platforms want to be known for defending people wanting to rape their sister, or mother . This is a terrible spot to be in.

It's called Globalism and guilt-based manipulation. You cannot completely make something as big as the UN vanish through realistic means and there is a reason why the Vatican can take control of the entirety of Europe for a millennia and ingrain all of its beliefs in society past there. Nobody wants to become the next Epstein or be accused as a violent mass murderer after all.

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At this point I think the only way out of this is a full blown Comic Code Authority level overturn. It took 30+ years to completely overturn that by the way. The Credit Card Companies are only part of a much bigger kraken.

 

[Jeanette Voerman]

First they came for the rape games, and I said nothing, for I was not a rape game gooner...

 

[Slap47]

we live in an absurd world where you have to check the don't show porn option rather than check the show porn one

Its literally the other way around.

People are gaslighting themselves otherwise. You need to toggle on hentai games.

 

[God of Nothing]

Its literally the other way around.

People are gaslighting themselves otherwise. You need to toggle on hentai games.

It's been years since I've made my steam account and I don't remember anything besides the age restriction.

Three different settings for sexual content?

 

[Jet Fuel Johnny]

They pulled this shit with guns and gun addons.

Wonder what the next target will be.

 

[Serbian Peacekeepers]

Three different settings for sexual content?

Some Nudity and Sexual Content covers stuff like GTA 5, games that contain nudity and sexual content, but that aren't outright porn. Frequent Nudity probably covers more fanservice-y games like Nier, Stellar Blade, etc, but that still lack full on pornographic content. Adult only is self explanatory.

 

[God of Nothing]

Some Nudity and Sexual Content covers stuff like GTA 5, games that contain nudity and sexual content, but that aren't outright porn. Frequent Nudity probably covers more fanservice-y games like Nier, Stellar Blade, etc, but that still lack full on pornographic cotent. Adult only is self explanatory.

It seems very redundant, save for the adult only game option.

 

[Serbian Peacekeepers]

It seems very redundant, save for the adult only game option.

In my opinion more options is always better than less, someone might be fine with seeing softcore stuff but not want to see "I RAPED MY STEP SISTER TRANNY-HITLER WITH MY FUTA COCK" on their front page. Steam actually shows you example products for what counts as frequent vs some.
I am 90% that fake game I made up exists, I hate the world.