Stop removing games from the german store and implement a proper age verification!

[Shiny Neko]

I want to encourage Steam/Valve to introduce a legally binding and safe age verification process for adult German Steam users. The goal of the age verification is to give access to games, which would otherwise be censored or not available at all to those persons who have successfully proven their age.

In Germany, it is entirely legal to order games abroad (UK, Austria, USA, etc.), which are otherwise censored or not legally purchasable in Germany. Moreover, this does not breach German law, nor does it violate the guidelines of the regulating bodies "USK", "FSK" and "BPjM"!

[Brian9824]

Publicado originalmente por Selphares:

So let me get it straight, I can for example right now not buy Subverse for example because you did not manage since december for around 4 months now not to impliment an already used age cerification system?

No it's because they haven't implemented (and might not) a age certification system that so far out of almost every country in the world only Germany wants.

Steam support has said its being looked into, but its not always an easy solution, and sometimes the solution is to not bother selling items if it isn't worth the hassle of selling them.

[CatraGirl]

So it's been over 3 months now, Valve completely ignoring the issue apparently, as usual. Thanks for nothing, Gaben.

[Carphi]

noone want age verificati0n . like 4 real. kids always gonna get theri games somehow... thats my its bet ti get theri games through big platform like steam

[Carphi]

at least they dont ♥♥♥♥ things up

[Crashed]

I think I might have made a reply to Jill but it disappeared, but it was basically to lay the blame on the government for putting Valve between a rock and a hard place.

Perhaps Valve has already considered it and decided it was not worth the cost or legal considerations (i.e. privacy) that would come along with a minority of their sales.

[Grunch]

Just a shame.

[Fylas]

Publicado originalmente por Shiny Neko:

I want to encourage Steam/Valve to introduce a legally binding and safe age verification process for adult German Steam users. The goal of the age verification is to give access to games, which would otherwise be censored or not available at all to those persons who have successfully proven their age.

In Germany, it is entirely legal to order games abroad (UK, Austria, USA, etc.), which are otherwise censored or not legally purchasable in Germany. Moreover, this does not breach German law, nor does it violate the guidelines of the regulating bodies "USK", "FSK" and "BPjM"!

hell yes! I constantly have to reconfirm my age cause the damn client keeps forgetting it and bothers me over and over every few days. Plus even games I bought that count as 18+ in germany are blocked even if it just contains frigging zombies. I'm over 30 for crying out loud!

[Start_Running]

Publicado originalmente por Fylas:

Publicado originalmente por Shiny Neko:

I want to encourage Steam/Valve to introduce a legally binding and safe age verification process for adult German Steam users. The goal of the age verification is to give access to games, which would otherwise be censored or not available at all to those persons who have successfully proven their age.

In Germany, it is entirely legal to order games abroad (UK, Austria, USA, etc.), which are otherwise censored or not legally purchasable in Germany. Moreover, this does not breach German law, nor does it violate the guidelines of the regulating bodies "USK", "FSK" and "BPjM"!

hell yes! I constantly have to reconfirm my age cause the damn client keeps forgetting it and bothers me over and over every few days. Plus even games I bought that count as 18+ in germany are blocked even if it just contains frigging zombies. I'm over 30 for crying out loud!

Complain to your government.

[Marble]

What classifies as an acceptable form of age verification online? I know this is specific to Germany right now but with the way the world is going it might not stay that way forever.
IMO they should lock out adult games unless you have a confirmed credit card on your account or something.

[主​​​Miͥภgͣcͫℝ♚]

Publicado originalmente por Marble:

What classifies as an acceptable form of age verification online? I know this is specific to Germany right now but with the way the world is going it might not stay that way forever.
IMO they should lock out adult games unless you have a confirmed credit card on your account or something.

Its not just about games... in the eu, you can currently only watch 18+ youtube videos, if google has your passport or sth similar (cant remember it exactly, but you can read all about it here https://www.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/jm37a1/youtube_will_start_to_demand_id_credit_cards/)
lets just ignore for a second that most adult stuff on youtube is hosted on youtube kids.
after that ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥, sites like nsfwyoutube are frequented more than ever.
and i can gurantee you that something similar is going to happen to steam if this continues.
on release day, 2 out of 3 seeders for subverse torrents were from germany. 2 OUT OF 3 OVERALL!!!! WORLDWIDE!
this would be funny if it wasnt so retarded.

[Marble]

Well the article says a credit card is sufficient proof for Youtube so yeah, just lock all of the smut on Steam behind having a valid credit card on your account, then no need to remove games completely!

[主​​​Miͥภgͣcͫℝ♚]

Publicado originalmente por Marble:

Well the article says a credit card is sufficient proof for Youtube so yeah, just lock all of the smut on Steam behind having a valid credit card on your account, then no need to remove games completely!

what i was actually getting at: if you attempt to control anything on the internet, you have lost before you even started

[Count_Dandyman]

Publicado originalmente por Marble:

Well the article says a credit card is sufficient proof for Youtube so yeah, just lock all of the smut on Steam behind having a valid credit card on your account, then no need to remove games completely!

YouTube doesn't officially host the type of content that is most restricted (yeah we all know there is probably plenty there they haven't removed but people writing the restrictions aren't the most tech savvy) so they may be under less strict rules than Valve for enforcement

[Fylas]

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

Publicado originalmente por Fylas:

hell yes! I constantly have to reconfirm my age cause the damn client keeps forgetting it and bothers me over and over every few days. Plus even games I bought that count as 18+ in germany are blocked even if it just contains frigging zombies. I'm over 30 for crying out loud!

Complain to your government.

SPRECHEN SIE GERMAN! YOU UNCULTURED FOREIGNER! ... jokes aside. this has nothing to do with the government. there exist several approved methods of permanent age verification available, but steam is too lazy to assign even a single person to work on implementing integration or even just LINKING into thhe client so it can be used. instead a large section of games just flat out gets blocked.

[Brian9824]

Publicado originalmente por Fylas:

Publicado originalmente por Start_Running:

Complain to your government.

SPRECHEN SIE GERMAN! YOU UNCULTURED FOREIGNER! ... jokes aside. this has nothing to do with the government. there exist several approved methods of permanent age verification available, but steam is too lazy to assign even a single person to work on implementing integration or even just LINKING into thhe client so it can be used. instead a large section of games just flat out gets blocked.

Actually it has everything to do with the government. The german government has placed restrictions greater then basically every other country in the world for the purchase of adult content.

At this time it looks like Steam has decided the costs to implement an approved age verification system outweigh the benefit of the sales in Germany of Adult games which is a valid stance. Just unfortunately one many people don't like.

If the german government changes their laws to not be so strict the games will be back, in meantime just have to buy them elsewhere or see if steam later adds it.