Valve is implementing stricter policies for 'adult-only' content to comply with regulations from Steam's payment processors, resulting in the removal of numerous sexually explicit games from the platform this week.
As reported by GameSpark and highlighted by Automaton, SteamDB records indicate significant backend activity as Steam revised its 'Rules and Guidelines' policy, explicitly warning that publishing specific adult-oriented content could breach these rules.
The newly introduced clause 15 now clearly prohibits content that "may conflict with the policies of Steam's payment processors, card networks, banks, or internet service providers."
SteamDB's X/Twitter account disclosed an extensive list of adult games recently pulled from Steam.
This may be linked to PayPal issues, as users in some regions have faced payment restrictions on Steam for the past five days.
— SteamDB (@SteamDB) July 16, 2025
Permanent list of removed titles: https://t.co/Vy44Q0hVGN
The move follows controversy earlier this year when UK Technology Secretary Peter Kyle criticized Steam for distributing a visual novel featuring non-consensual acts, including sexual violence. Developer Zerat Games later voluntarily withdrew the game after bans in the UK, Canada, and Australia.
However, Valve's updated policies have drawn criticism from some who oppose potential censorship and the ambiguity of the new rules.
Separately, we recently covered Valve co-founder Gabe Newell's rare glimpse into his lifestyle aboard a luxury superyacht he refers to as his "boat."
