The Daisenryaku SSB ban situation

[Chato Maltés]

Been a long time fan of Daisenryaku, one of the longest running videogame series of all time. Directly inspired Advance Wars and many others. Hugely influential. I was hyped because the new installment was supposed to release on Steam, here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1982510/SSB/

However it was announced two years ago that the release of the game on Steam was being put on hold because Steam wasn't giving clearance due to sensitive scenarios. The announcement of Systemsoft reads like this:

Regarding the postponed release, Steam has identified some content that may be unacceptable in some markets and it is taking time to review the content. We have made corrections to content that seemed to be sensitive topics and submitted them for review by Steam in June, 2022. However, Steam has yet to contact us to confirm the review has been completed.

As a fan of the series, I would like to know more about what's the status of this, and why it's been put on hold considering the Steam store has all kinds of pretty henious stuff but this game (which at most is using scenarios as background plot for what's ultimately a pretty standard strategy game of unit pieces in a geographical map) is being effectively getting soft-banned through approval stalling. It's been two years.

[how bout i do anyway]

How are we supposed to know anything? Ask the devs.

[Mad Scientist]

The Developer is being vague instead of mentioning what it is, regardless, the issue is primarily between Valve and the Developer. The only thing I can think given the type of game it is, would likely be asset-flipping or some sort of claim which is unresolved between a claimant and the Developer.

Your only option is to contact the Developer. Valve doesn't make public statements about things they e-mail to the Developers, and they're usually more specific about what they find when they contact Developers.

[Ogami]

I am pretty sure that game release is dead on Steam. There has been no update on the files or the page from the devs for 2 years according to SteamDB and they already moved on to their next game that will release in Japan this year.
The console version of Daisenryaku SSB can be imported for Switch or PS4 if you want to play it but i dont think the Steam version is happening anymore.
On Reddit someone wrote that they asked the devs a year ago on twitter about the Steam version but all their questions were ignored.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Mad Scientist:

The Developer is being vague instead of mentioning what it is, regardless, the issue is primarily between Valve and the Developer. The only thing I can think given the type of game it is, would likely be asset-flipping or some sort of claim which is unresolved between a claimant and the Developer.

One of the scenarios to play in the game was a "New American Civil War" scenario with the land being split between Democrats/Republicans and figures like Trump and such appearing ingame.
I am pretty sure thats the reason. Would just lead to a huge crapstorm in todays climate.

[Mad Scientist]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Ogami:

I am pretty sure that game release is dead on Steam. There has been no update on the files or the page from the devs for 2 years according to SteamDB and they already moved on to their next game that will release in Japan this year.
The console version of Daisenryaku SSB can be imported for Switch or PS4 if you want to play it but i dont think the Steam version is happening anymore.
On Reddit someone wrote that they asked the devs a year ago on twitter about the Steam version but all their questions were ignored.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Mad Scientist:

The Developer is being vague instead of mentioning what it is, regardless, the issue is primarily between Valve and the Developer. The only thing I can think given the type of game it is, would likely be asset-flipping or some sort of claim which is unresolved between a claimant and the Developer.

One of the scenarios to play in the game was a "New American Civil War" scenario with the land being split between Democrats/Republicans and figures like Trump and such appearing ingame.
I am pretty sure thats the reason. Would just lead to a huge crapstorm in todays climate.

Well they have putin games, a trump game or two, "sex with hitler", even "acquitted" which is basically a meme game about rittenhouse, so I have some doubts. Time will tell, though. Most likely Valve sent a less vague message than what the Developer has stated.

[Brujeira]

Ye Gods, as if the New American Civil War was the only problematic scenario. Seen all the news about the constant arguing between China and Taiwan? Well, you can settle it in this game as there's a China vs Taiwan scenario.

Relations between China and Japan are... not great. So, Japanese devs make a game where Japan goes to war with China... again... and makes it a Triple Threat match by adding Russia to the mix. See any problems there? They didn't, but there are some.

I'd imagine that Valve did send a less vague message than what the devs have stated... because the devs don't want to admit that they badly misjudged how that list of scenarios would go down in other countries.

[how bout i do anyway]

Valve doesn't ban games that depict alt history wars, otherwise Paradox would have all their games banned from Steam. However, certain regions limit what can be depicted by law, such as Germany restricting the use of Nazi and East German symbols, which has required Steam to either region restrict games or offer alternative versions with said imagery altered or removed.

In any case, all we have to go by here is the developer's words, and they're not saying much.

[William Shakesman]

In my experience, Valve does NOT send less vague messages. They have a history of not being willing to work with developers on this sort of situation even in the slightest to help them comply with the rules and requirements (If said rules and requirements even exist.). It's fruitless to guess what could be the hangup and cause of the ban reason because every single time I have ever seen someone guess like this it has been wrong. Valve, from what I have seen, does not give bulleted lists of "Remove X and you're good."

Valve employees never post here OP so you are unlikely to get an answer out of this forum, nor is Valve likely to be any more helpful to customers than they are to developers on this.

[Brujeira]

Oprindeligt skrevet af how bout i do anyway:

Valve doesn't ban games that depict alt history wars, otherwise Paradox would have all their games banned from Steam. However, certain regions limit what can be depicted by law, such as Germany restricting the use of Nazi and East German symbols, which has required Steam to either region restrict games or offer alternative versions with said imagery altered or removed.

In any case, all we have to go by here is the developer's words, and they're not saying much.

Nevertheless, any global company like Valve will be treading on eggshells when it comes to dealing with the... shall we say, oversensitive regimes in the world. Hosting any kind of content that could... upset the rulers of those countries would be detrimental to Valve's ability to do business there. Capisci?

Let's be clear here, those governments won't just want that content banned in their own countries - they'll take exception to it being available anywhere. Dealing with that kind of situation means Valve would be opening a right can of worms. All that hassle for a niche game that won't generate that many sales outside of its home territory? Hosting it doesn't make any kind of business sense unfortunately.

[William Shakesman]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Brujeira:

Oprindeligt skrevet af how bout i do anyway:

Valve doesn't ban games that depict alt history wars, otherwise Paradox would have all their games banned from Steam. However, certain regions limit what can be depicted by law, such as Germany restricting the use of Nazi and East German symbols, which has required Steam to either region restrict games or offer alternative versions with said imagery altered or removed.

In any case, all we have to go by here is the developer's words, and they're not saying much.

Nevertheless, any global company like Valve will be treading on eggshells when it comes to dealing with the... shall we say, oversensitive regimes in the world. Hosting any kind of content that could... upset the rulers of those countries would be detrimental to Valve's ability to do business there. Capisci?

Let's be clear here, those governments won't just want that content banned in their own countries - they'll take exception to it being available anywhere. Dealing with that kind of situation means Valve would be opening a right can of worms. All that hassle for a niche game that won't generate that many sales outside of its home territory? Hosting it doesn't make any kind of business sense unfortunately.

This is fanfiction without any understanding of what is going on behind the scenes. If all you are doing is guessing the reason, it doesn't help the issue.

[Mad Scientist]

Oprindeligt skrevet af William Shakesman:

In my experience, Valve does NOT send less vague messages. They have a history of not being willing to work with developers on this sort of situation even in the slightest to help them comply with the rules

It's typically always detailed enough, like when they ban a devs game and any future attempts at uploading for depictions of minors in sexual situations - they stayed as much as we've seen a good amount of times recently.

Or when they say it has ai generated content, asset flips, copyright material etc.

People are usually vague intentionally as to not lose a following.

[William Shakesman]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Mad Scientist:

Oprindeligt skrevet af William Shakesman:

In my experience, Valve does NOT send less vague messages. They have a history of not being willing to work with developers on this sort of situation even in the slightest to help them comply with the rules

It's typically always detailed enough, like when they ban a devs game and any future attempts at uploading for depictions of minors in sexual situations - they stayed as much as we've seen a good amount of times recently.

Or when they say it has ai generated content, asset flips, copyright material etc.

People are usually vague intentionally as to not lose a following.

And usually when they aren't vague, the regulars here leave the thread because they don't have anything useful to say other than innuendo, so I understand why you guys like it when you can identify supposed "vagueness."

[Ben Lubar]

Oprindeligt skrevet af how bout i do anyway:

Valve doesn't ban games that depict alt history wars,

I just picked up the entire Command & Conquer series a few weeks ago, in fact.

[Ben Lubar]

Oprindeligt skrevet af William Shakesman:

In my experience, Valve does NOT send less vague messages.

Ah, what game did you publish? Because they've always given very specific messages to me and everyone else I've seen talk about messages from Valve on the Steamworks developer forum.

[Mad Scientist]

Oprindeligt skrevet af William Shakesman:

Oprindeligt skrevet af Mad Scientist:

It's typically always detailed enough, like when they ban a devs game and any future attempts at uploading for depictions of minors in sexual situations - they stayed as much as we've seen a good amount of times recently.

Or when they say it has ai generated content, asset flips, copyright material etc.

People are usually vague intentionally as to not lose a following.

And usually when they aren't vague, the regulars here leave the thread because they don't have anything useful to say other than innuendo, so I understand why you guys like it when you can identify supposed "vagueness."

Trying to pick fights is not helpful to the thread.

The op can still contact the dev if they want more details, but the issue is supposed to stay between the dev and valve, not be made public.

[William Shakesman]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Mad Scientist:

Oprindeligt skrevet af William Shakesman:

And usually when they aren't vague, the regulars here leave the thread because they don't have anything useful to say other than innuendo, so I understand why you guys like it when you can identify supposed "vagueness."

Trying to pick fights is not helpful to the thread.

Neither is making unfalsifiable accusations as an excuse to sidestep the real issue. "We made the changes Valve requested and are awaiting review (2 years ago.)" is already a fairly complete story. You don't have to try to invent additional details that aren't provided or assume because they weren't provided that somehow proves perfidy. The service error here is already fairly clear.