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Valve removed another visual novel with loli sex content without telling the publisher

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Chairmanchuck (另一个我)

Chairmanchuck (另一个我)

Teyvat Traveler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,094
China
It seems Valve removed a game that I wont refer to here, since the uncut version has loli sex in it, without telling the publisher beforehand. The original release on Steam was an "All Ages version".
Valve sold it for 8 months already and the publisher Mangagamer offered a free "uncut patch" on their website.

Do you think thats fine? I personally think so, but apparently Valve did not tell them why it was removed.
 
Blizniak

Blizniak

Member
Oct 25, 2017
395
I really wish they got better about setting rules for this stuff or at least being open about it so everyone knows what's going on.
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
I mean, if you put loli/shota stuff in your game, nothing should come as a surprise
 
Phellps

Phellps

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,809
Of course it's fine, they're circumventing the platform's rules.

Also, they're fucking creeps.
 
nsilvias

nsilvias

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,783
valves store, valves rules.
its not bad words, its illegal stuff they are promoting
 
SephiZack

SephiZack

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
804
I'm sure Steam's TOS for publishers gives Valve free control over what they can remove from their store and whether they need to give any notice.
 
Achire

Achire

Member
Oct 27, 2017
456
Surely the issue here is not that the game was removed, but that it was allowed to be sold at all. WTF Valve?
 
_zoipi

_zoipi

One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 23, 2017
2,377
Madrid
Valve has the right to say what they don't want to sell, and knowing that they're selling a game where the publisher has a workaround to enable forbidden content is somenthing they don't want.

Also, Nich*Gam*r, The Qu*rt*ning and On*Angr*Gam*r are going to have a blast defending the publisher.
 
Bonejack

Bonejack

Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,654
I don't understand how such games pass the rating boards to begin with. That should be their final destination.

Do the boards take into account when a pub/devs give them a censored version, but offeres an uncut patch for it? Because that should definitely taken into account.
 
Naga

Naga

Alt account
Banned
Aug 29, 2019
7,850
It's their store so they can do what they want, I don't see any controversy there, the issue is more not confronting the dev/publisher about it. No need to be opaque with them.
 
sredgrin

sredgrin

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
12,276
Bonejack said:
I don't understand how such games pass the rating boards to begin with. That should be their final destination.

Do the boards take into account when a pub/devs give them a censored version, but offeres an uncut patch for it? Because that should definitely taken into account.
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There is no ratings board.
 
Asbsand

Asbsand

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
9,901
Denmark
Bonejack said:
I don't understand how such games pass the rating boards to begin with. That should be the final destination for those.
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what rating boards?
gabe-newell-esports-edge-interview-580x334.jpg
 
FaffEra

FaffEra

Chicken Chaser
Member
Nov 8, 2017
384
UK
Bonejack said:
I don't understand how such games pass the rating boards to begin with. That should be their final destination.

Do the boards take into account when a pub/devs give them a censored version, but offeres an uncut patch for it? Because that should definitely taken into account.
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I doubt porn games come anywhere close to a ratings board. There are niche publishers that will distribute them.
 

DrDarkStryfe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,523
Pittsburgh, PA
Their storefront, their rules.

You see this a lot in the more sexually driven VN's; the version on Steam or available via Patreon will be "vanilla" but there be huge sign posts to point you towards downloads, fanmade or officially, that "restores original content." Folks think it is creative way to get around any TOS issues, but in the end they get caught and the game yanked.
 
Bradford

Bradford

terminus est
Member
Aug 12, 2018
5,423
Bonejack said:
Is that a meme i don't know/understand? I think even for digital stuff, organizations like ESRB, PEGI, CERO and so on have to give a rating, right?
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You can release unrated games and the ESRB at the very least has no actual power. They are a completely self regulatory organization. You do not need to be rated to distribute on PC.
 
RoboPlato

RoboPlato

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,808
One down, countless more to go
Bonejack said:
Is that a meme i don't know/understand? I think even for digital stuff, organizations like ESRB, PEGI, CERO and so on have to give a rating, right?
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Ratings are technically optional but are enforced by console platform holders as one of their requirements for publishing on the platform. Anything releasing directly on a digital store like Steam without such a policy does not have to be rated
 
Myself

Myself

Member
Nov 4, 2017
1,282
I had never heard the term, Googled it and a big fat warning appears with links to NetSafe and a hotline to call if you find it. Thank fuck Valve removed it and they shouldn't have to tell the publisher - fuck those abusers.
 
sredgrin

sredgrin

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
12,276
Bonejack said:
Is that a meme i don't know/understand? I think even for digital stuff, organizations like ESRB, PEGI, CERO and so on have to give a rating, right?
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No, just like how movies don't have to get rated, it just helps in certain areas because companies require it like console platform holders and walmart. PC releases aren't nearly as beholden to those boards because it's not hard to find a store that doesn't require them (or sell it yourself).
 
GrantDaNasty

GrantDaNasty

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,001
I support Valve on this.

These games feature this content via official patches by the devs, it isn't the same as moderating 3rd party Skyrim mods for example.

These devs clearly want it both ways - a game to sell to all ages unrestricted, and a way to ensure the "dirty" content is available with some sidesteps.

Honestly, if any publisher does it more than once, I'd flex my power as a platform and ban them for 6 months or possibly permanently.
 

Raigor

Member
May 14, 2020
15,146
They don't need to "tell the publisher", if you are selling loli content you should be banned from the Store
 
Shard Shinjuku

Shard Shinjuku

Member
Oct 25, 2017
30,075
Tampa
Not the first time MangaGamer has been caught like this and it certainly doesn't help when they get in a row with Valve over scenes that actually are important artisitcally but end up being controversial due to cultural mores.
 
Marmoka

Marmoka

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,028
The publisher does not need to be told why it was removed, it's pretty obvious.

Such publisher developing games with such content does not deserve any explanation at all. What the hell, they should be completely banned from Steam and other PC gaming sites.
 
Greywaren

Greywaren

Member
Jul 16, 2019
9,933
Spain
If you make a game with loli sexual content, you don't get to complain about it being removed from Steam without being told why. It's obvious.

Also, fuck people who make those kinds of games.
 
.exe

.exe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,236
I do appreciate that developers try to make the game more palatable by removing suggestive content. By all accounts, some of these games are totally okay pulpy novels. But I don't know about providing a patch to put that stuff back in. Maybe Valve would've been okay with it if the Steam version was just a standalone version you couldn't restore the adult content for -- in any case not by something as simple as a direct download from the publisher's/developer's site.
 
Sage

Sage

Member
Oct 27, 2017
680
Japan
Well if you want to support visual novels like that in general you should buy it straight from the publisher. Actually the same goes for any games on Steam where the publisher has their own store really. Fucking ridiculous poisonous cut they and Apple take - gamers don't give a shit thought because 'convenience.'

This doesn't harm Mangagamer's main audience (Americans), only people from small countries who rely on Steam as a payment option, which is a shame for them really (not talking about this game in particular but the precedent). So it's just more a statement of 'we don't allow this content' from Steam even if you circumvent the rules with a patch. Always thought it was weird that kind of stuff was on there anyway.

Funny thing about this is that Nintendo Online Store is probably the most lenient to adult content in visual novels now. Who would've thought that 5 years ago.
 
GrantDaNasty

GrantDaNasty

Member
Oct 27, 2017
3,001
.exe said:
I do appreciate that developers try to make the game more palatable by removing excesses. By all accounts, some of these games are totally okay pulpy novels. But I don't know about providing a patch to put that stuff back in. Maybe Valve would've been okay with it if the Steam version was just a standalone version you couldn't [officiallly] restore the adult content for.
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As long as it meets their guidelines and restrictions, it would be fine on Steam, and pornography is not exactly banned on Steam either, it just needs to ensure it meets standards such as not *sexualizing minors* (determined by the legal age of sex which is usually at a minimum of 14 and average is 16) - This is not OK in real life nor in fiction.

I just figured I'd mention if anyone thinks Steam is just being prudish about sexual content. That's not the case and people need to dig into the specific infraction in cases such as this.
 
ThereAreFourNaan

ThereAreFourNaan

Member
Nov 8, 2017
13,110
mazi said:
how tf was it approved in the first place?
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The version released did not contain any of the stuff that would get it banned. The Publisher of the game then offers a free download on their website which contains the banned/illicit content. You mod the game you bought on Steam to put it back in.

This is clearly a circumvention of the rules, so it get shut down when noticed.
 
MrCibb

MrCibb

Member
Dec 12, 2018
5,349
UK
Only issue I see is it hitting Steam in the first place. I don't think the publisher has any grounds to complain about the removal and/or lack of warning when it's not exactly hard to work out why it was taken down. "Uncut patch"? Fuck off.
 
Bonejack

Bonejack

Member
Oct 27, 2017
16,654
Ah, i see. I think this rating stuff should be come mandatory, on PC at least for all big store/launchers.

Such games need to be stopped from even having the chance to appear anywhere for sale.
 
J75

J75

Member
Sep 29, 2018
6,615
Good.

We still got ways to go, they still have shit like "Sister Travel" up which is another one of those twisted hentai loli games that rely on that uncensored patch loophole. I hope they address it.
 
.exe

.exe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,236
GrantDaNasty said:
As long as it meets their guidelines and restrictions, it would be fine on Steam, and pornography is not exactly banned on Steam either, it just needs to ensure it meets standards such as not *sexualizing minors* - This is not OK in real life nor in fiction.
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For sure. I haven't played the game in question, though I do know which game it is. I guess the "all ages" version may also not have been edited enough. At the same time, we have games like Persona 4 on Steam now, where Naoto and Rise especially are put into very questionable situations. If sexualization is the issue per se, Persona 4 is out of the question. Along with a lot of other Japanese games. It seems like Valve's policy is very opaque on this.
 
SinkFla

SinkFla

Member
Oct 26, 2017
9,444
Pensacola, Fl
Chairmanchuck said:
It seems Valve removed a game that I wont refer to here, since the uncut version has loli sex in it, without telling the publisher beforehand. The original release on Steam was an "All Ages version".
Valve sold it for 8 months already and the publisher Mangagamer offered a free "uncut patch" on their website.

Do you think thats fine? I personally think so, but apparently Valve did not tell them why it was removed.
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Click to shrink...

Absolutely fine. It's like banning someone on here for posting cartoon pedophilia without giving them a heads up lol. I would hope for and expect that shit.
 
Yasumi

Yasumi

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,574
Since the OP didn't actually include any details, the game is x. Not familiar with the game, but it seems well regarded.

mod edit: no need to signal boost this stuff
 
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