Valve recently confirmed that pressure from banks and card companies is behind their decision to remove certain adult-only games from the Steam storefront. This move is tied to payment processors’ rules, which Valve says could otherwise result in the loss of payment options for all Steam customers.
The company addressed the issue following reports that Steam was cracking down on games that violated payment processor standards. Valve stated, “We were recently notified that certain games on Steam may violate the rules and standards set forth by our payment processors and their related card networks and banks.” Because of this, they are retiring those games from sale to avoid the risk of losing payment methods, which would affect purchases of all other titles on Steam.
Developers impacted by this are being notified directly, and Valve is offering app credits if they have other games they’d like to distribute on Steam in the future. According to SteamDB data, more than 100 games have been marked as “retired” in just a couple of days, many of which contain adult content. The removals have been ongoing, with some games taken down only minutes ago, so this is an active process rather than a one-time event.
The community reaction has been mixed. A Reddit thread discussing the situation shows confusion among players, with some questioning why payment processors have issues with adult-themed games. Others pointed out that many removed titles include controversial sexual themes, such as incest. It’s unclear how many developers will ultimately be affected, but recent trends suggest the number could be sizable.
Valve’s position sheds light on the complex relationship between digital storefronts, payment providers, and content guidelines. It raises questions about the future availability of certain types of games and how platforms will strike a balance between commercial considerations and creative freedom.
