Overview

• Valve updated Steam’s developer guidelines on July 16 to forbid any content that may violate the rules of its payment processors, card networks, banks, or internet providers.
• SteamDB reports that dozens of adult-only games, including many with incest themes, were delisted within hours of the new clause taking effect.
• The policy shift reverses Steam’s 2018 stance that allowed age-gated mature content under a permissive labeling system.
• Valve has offered no detailed guidance on which specific types of adult material are prohibited, leaving developers unclear on compliance.
• The move highlights the expanding role of financial institutions as de facto arbiters of online content across digital platforms.