Why is STEAM censoring games?

[D. Flame]

This game now requires being logged into even see it:

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1232460/Onee_Chanbara_ORIGIN/

I understand putting porn games behind a filter, but why is Steam starting to do the same crap that Sony pulled?

I owned even Playstation home console from 1 to 4, including the hardware backwards compatible PS3. I owned the PS Vita as well. And rather than buy a PS5, I upgraded my PC, bought a Switch, and bought a Steam Deck for me and one for my friend, all because Sony pulled crap like this and killed the Senran Kagura series. Why is Steam now starting down the same road?

And just to clarify, that game I linked contains no nudity.

[Soren]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

It 100% is, and the ESRB is also censorship. If a game is rated AO by the ESRB, then it can not be sold in retail stores. That is censorship.

That is just a natural market force in most given economies. Retail stores aren't forced not to sell porn. They just choose not to because that limits their customers. It's why only speciality shops would sell that kind of stuff.

I already said ratings/ratingboards just encourage self censorship, which isn't to be conflated with them being censorship. Steam even allows porn games to be sold on Steam, just only adult accounts can see them.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Soren:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

It 100% is, and the ESRB is also censorship. If a game is rated AO by the ESRB, then it can not be sold in retail stores. That is censorship.

That is just a natural market force in most given economies. Retail stores aren't forced not to sell porn. They just choose not to because that limits their customers. It's why only speciality shops would sell that kind of stuff.

I already said ratings/ratingboards just encourage self censorship, which isn't to be conflated with them being censorship. Steam even allows porn games to be sold on Steam, just only adult accounts can see them.

Hiding porn is also censorship; it is just censorship that most of us agree is reasonable and acceptable. But just because we agree that a form of censorship is justified, that doesn't mean that it stops being censorship. Just look at what happened to US comic books in the 50s and 60s.

[PocketYoda]

Originally posted by Soren:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Notice the difference? CP77, despite having far more graphic and adult content, only requires you to enter your age (aka age gating).

Meanwhile, OCBO hides and an all info on the game until you fully sign in. That is not age gating. It is a recent change to Steam. Until Valve made this change, to view the OCBO page, all you had to do to view the page was enter you age.

The nsfw content in CP2077 is not the focus of it's context. You can even disable the nudity as a starting option and maybe gore too (idk, been ages since I booted up the game). So that's probably the reason it's not stuck in the AO content category. Where as in Onee Chanbara nsfw content is a major focus. Countries like germany having new standards is why it got bumped into that new age rating category.

Also, asking for your age before you can view the page is an age gate. They are both forms of age gating. One is just more strict than the other. Perhaps you are confusing privacy concerns with censorship. When Texas wanted to require you to have an ID to view porn online, that wasn't censorship either, but it was a privacy issue based on who is demanding to be the ID checker.

To be clear. An ESRB rating for example isn't censorship. Being stuck in the M rating isn't censorship. It can sometimes encourage developers to self censor their game if they want a lower rating. But being rated a certain rating and only being viewable by adults (or adult stores) isn't inherently censorship.

Different countries have different ratings.. there is no ESRB in Aus

[Soren]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Hiding porn is also censorship; it is just censorship that most of us agree is reasonable and acceptable. But just because we agree that a form of censorship is justified, that doesn't mean that it stops being censorship.

At that point, feels like you are more so railing against the idea children shouldn't be sold porn to make your point.

Personally, I've always viewed censorship as a system in which an authority limits the ideas that people are allowed to express towards a broader public. Nothing is stopping you from expressing that idea to the broader public just because we've decided kids have to wait before they can see it.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Soren:

-snip-

Again, everyone agrees that they should not be exposed to that, but censorship remains censorship even when we think it is a good idea.

[On Vacation]

I'm not sure why ESRB rating keeps being brought up, as it has no bearing on whether a game is or isn't visible while signed out. The only thing that impacts this is if the game is set to frequent nudity and sexual content or adults only sexual content.

The others such as frequent violence or gore have no bearing on this either. Hatred is a good example to illustrate this. The ESRB does however effect the age gate, although these games would have an age gate anyhow if they fill out the content survey accurately so it doesn't matter much in that regard either.

Onee Chanbara for whatever reason is set as having frequent nudity and sexual content. Should it be? No, even by ESRB standards it wouldn't fall into that. That doesn't mean I'm of the opinion that Valve did it deliberately, because I don't think that makes any sense. Seems more likely developer/publisher error, misunderstanding, or an issue with the system itself.

[Boblin the Goblin]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Originally posted by SlowMango:

It can still be seen by the public.

Wrong, it can only be seen by signed in members of Steam. If the public could see it, then you would be able to view it from an incognito window.

It can still be seen by the public. Stretch it all you like, it does not change that fact.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by SlowMango:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Wrong, it can only be seen by signed in members of Steam. If the public could see it, then you would be able to view it from an incognito window.

It can still be seen by the public. Stretch it all you like, it does not change that fact.

Show me how to view the game page without signing it (aka visible to the public).

[Boblin the Goblin]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Originally posted by SlowMango:

It can still be seen by the public. Stretch it all you like, it does not change that fact.

Show me how to view the game page without signing it (aka visible to the public).

Not needing to sign in isn't the defining factor of making it viewable to the public.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by SlowMango:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Show me how to view the game page without signing it (aka visible to the public).

Not needing to sign in isn't the defining factor of making it viewable to the public.

It literally is.

Like a "members only club" is not considered: "open to the public".

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Hiding porn is also censorship; it is just censorship that most of us agree is reasonable and acceptable. But just because we agree that a form of censorship is justified, that doesn't mean that it stops being censorship. Just look at what happened to US comic books in the 50s and 60s.

But you literally said despite the title, that this isn't censorship;

Originally posted by D. Flame:

The game itself isn't censored. It is simply being hidden on Steam, and that was not always the case. This appears to be more recent.

[Ben Lubar]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Originally posted by SlowMango:

Not needing to sign in isn't the defining factor of making it viewable to the public.

It literally is.

Like a "members only club" is not considered: "open to the public".

Needing to walk into a grocery store to see some of the things they are selling is not "censoring vegetables".

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Hiding porn is also censorship; it is just censorship that most of us agree is reasonable and acceptable. But just because we agree that a form of censorship is justified, that doesn't mean that it stops being censorship. Just look at what happened to US comic books in the 50s and 60s.

But you literally said despite the title, that this isn't censorship;

Originally posted by D. Flame:

The game itself isn't censored. It is simply being hidden on Steam, and that was not always the case. This appears to be more recent.

Those statements are not contradictory.

If you leave the contents of a book untouched, but keep a book under lock and key, then you are still censoring it.

[D. Flame]

Originally posted by Ben Lubar:

Originally posted by D. Flame:

It literally is.

Like a "members only club" is not considered: "open to the public".

Needing to walk into a grocery store to see some of the things they are selling is not "censoring vegetables".

And the ones that force you to pay a membership fee before you are even allowed in the building?

[Ben Lubar]

Originally posted by D. Flame:

Originally posted by Ben Lubar:

Needing to walk into a grocery store to see some of the things they are selling is not "censoring vegetables".

And the ones that force you to pay a membership fee before you are even allowed in the building?

Does Steam require you to pay a membership fee before you can browse the store on your account?