Valve removes Seduce Me from Steam Greenlight for “offensive material” - Polidicks

[quote][img]http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2012/09/seduce_me-610x283.jpg[/img] Steam Greenlight has been billed as a way to let the community decide what makes it to the Steam store and what doesn’t, but it seems Greenlight is giving a red light to the Red Light District. If your game contains sexual content, you might not even be allowed to put your work to a vote, as Seduce Me developers No Reply Games discovered. An article on Gamesindustry.biz describes the content of Seduce Me as “[comparable] to erotic literature, photography or film,” and “scarcely more hardcore than 50 Shades of Grey or The Joy of Sex.” Some of the screens on the official site are fairly explicit, but the apparent bottom line is that sexual content is an immediate Steam barrier. While the article states that Greenlight’s voters were polarized, Valve pulled the plug on Seduce Me before a community verdict could be reached. No Reply co-founder Miriam Bellard was taken off-guard by this. “It was just a very generic e-mail saying we’d violated [the content guidelines] and the game was being taken down,” she told Gamesindustry International. “It struck us as them not wanting to deal with it, not wanting to engage. We were actually really shocked when it went down, because we thought that it would at least be allowed on Greenlight to be discussed. We wouldn’t have minded taking down some of the images if they were considered too racy for the forum, but there was no communication – nothing.” [img]http://media.pcgamer.com/files/2012/09/SeduceMe_Lilia_01-610x381.jpg[/img] The guidelines stated by Valve simply refer to “offensive content,” without any clarification on what, exactly, that consists of. Bellard criticized the interpretation of these guidelines as being largely American-centric, as much of the rest of the world would see the content of Seduce Me as far less offensive than many of the depictions of violence seen in games already on Steam. “I personally don’t think Valve needs [to play it safe],” she asserted. “I think Valve is in a position where they could push this if they wanted to. Sure, they might lose a very small amount of their audience, but they would gain others… Why they’ve chosen not to is possibly that they’re part of that American culture, and they view this issue with that American point-of-view.” Sex in games is an evolving issue in a relatively new medium, but it’s readily apparent that nudity and sexual themes are not as tolerated in an artistic context as they are in, say, film or literature. “There’s still that historical view of games being for children,” Bellard said in regards to the disparity. “And even though the average gamer is now 30 yeas old it’s still the gut reaction. With books, you have children’s books, teen fiction, adult books of all genres. But we tend to view games as one solid category. I think things like this can just be about habit; it’s just what we’re used to.” Should sex in games be less stigmatized? Is Valve failing to push forward, or take its international audience into account with its policy enforcement?[/quote] A dating simulator on Steam? Could have been the perfect business plan. [editline]1[/editline] gameplay [video=youtube;CVnagNeKQjc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVnagNeKQjc[/video] [editline]1[/editline] [QUOTE=GameDev;37567241][t]http://puu.sh/12EgU[/t] You're telling me that's not going to set off any red flags for anyone? (It's only censored for the video)[/QUOTE] If you're too lazy to watch the video

While it's understandable, simply saying 'offensive content' is way too vague.

A little too steamy for them

[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;37567013]While it's understandable, simply saying 'offensive content' is way too vague.[/QUOTE] They probably don't want to spark a debate about the whole thing and they don't want to argue either so they crapped out a basic reason to take it out. I'm okay with that.

what did they expect.

Steam defense brigade arriving in 3...2...1... Was it any other company everyone would go ape, but being Valve it's understandable and ok. Just watch. Also: Postal 2 is still on Greenlight, I don't need to add anything do I?

This game could've improved my social skills... wait hold on... I don't even have social skills.

[QUOTE=acds;37567164]Steam defense brigade arriving in 3...2...1... Was it any other company everyone would go ape, but being Valve it's understandable and ok. Just watch.[/QUOTE] Uh not really, this looks like something you'd find in the adult section of newgrounds

looks terrible, i think valve was just being polite by not saying anything specific. [quote] Bellard criticized the interpretation of these guidelines as being largely American-centric, as much of the rest of the world would see the content of Seduce Me as far less offensive than many of the depictions of violence seen in games already on Steam.[/quote] which is a great point btw. apparently having dudes tear each other limb to limb with blood flying everywhere is less bothersome than static images of women doing racy stuff

I don't see how this is offensive content but the game looks [B]insanely boring[/B]

[QUOTE=acds;37567164]Steam defense brigade arriving in 3...2...1... Was it any other company everyone would go ape, but being Valve it's understandable and ok. Just watch.[/QUOTE] No one would go ape about anything, the game looks like dog shit

[QUOTE=fruxodaily;37567226]I don't see how this is offensive content but the game looks [B]insanely boring[/B][/QUOTE] [img]http://puu.sh/12EgU[/img] You're telling me that's not going to set off any red flags for anyone? (It's only censored for the video)

Murdering pixel people is still okay tho.

[QUOTE=simkas;37567229]No one would go ape about anything, the game looks like dog shit[/QUOTE] Yeah, I'm just going to stick with Corru- Uh, I mean Leisure Suit Larry.

im surprised valve would have made a mint with 30% sales on this game :v:

Who cares? Who would have paid for this shit anyways? Just go on newgrounds and play one of the free dating sims, some teenage guy made with autism.

honestly i think they shouldn't have removed it i mean the gameplay looks like shit but if people wanted it they would buy it and they would only make money and soccer moms shouldn't even have to worry about these games because you have to actually [i]buy[/i] it to worry about them playing it

[QUOTE=acds;37567164]Steam defense brigade arriving in 3...2...1... Was it any other company everyone would go ape, but being Valve it's understandable and ok. Just watch.[/QUOTE] i personally don't want sex/dating games on steam or any downloadable service but ok

[QUOTE=acds;37567164]Steam defense brigade arriving in 3...2...1... Was it any other company everyone would go ape, but being Valve it's understandable and ok. Just watch.[/QUOTE] Too late. [QUOTE=Ganerumo;37567048]They probably don't want to spark a debate about the whole thing and they don't want to argue either so they crapped out a basic reason to take it out. I'm okay with that.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=jonoPorter;37567185]This game could've improved my social skills... wait hold on... I don't even have social skills.[/QUOTE] Well if you had gotten this you'd have a negative amount of social skills.

[QUOTE=Marik Bentusi;37567243]Murdering pixel people is still okay tho.[/QUOTE] But think, would you want anyone to know you spent money on this?

[QUOTE=acds;37567164]Steam defense brigade arriving in 3...2...1... Was it any other company everyone would go ape, but being Valve it's understandable and ok. Just watch.[/QUOTE] What are you yammering on about? Almost every distributor or seller of games stays away from the AO stuff.

Who'd want such a game in their games list visible to everyone :v:

[QUOTE=GameDev;37567241][img]http://puu.sh/12EgU[/img] You're telling me that's not going to set off any red flags for anyone? (It's only censored for the video)[/QUOTE] I don't see how nudity is more offensive than gore to be honest, though I am not really into sex video games they're just cheesy as hell.

never did understand why companies dont give consumers/users of a service freedom of speech and expression, but the state does. its understandable with employees tho since they are getting paid and not paying.

While I'm not part of any Steam Defense Brigade, I don't really see this as wrong. There's games on Steam with sex in them (The Witcher 2, for example), but I honestly don't think there's a game simply revolving around it. I wouldn't personally have a problem with the game, but there's a lot of 12-year olds out there, and I'd imagine that some mothers would be going ape-shit. It should be said that I have not currently actully watched the gameplay, so all of my conclusions are simply drawn from the article.

[QUOTE=Swebonny;37567312]Who'd want such a games list visible to everyone :v:[/QUOTE] Oh dear god, the constant removal and reinstalling of it. IT WOULD CRASH THE VALVE SERVERS.

Shit looking game, but some of the art actually looks pretty good

[QUOTE=lifehole;37567331]never did understand why companies dont give consumers/users of a service freedom of speech and expression, but the state does. its understandable with employees tho since they are getting paid and not paying.[/QUOTE] Ehh, Steam gives you freedom of speech, but Steam is still a playform owned by Valve - they decide what goes in and what goes out.

[QUOTE=TheTalon;37567372]Shit looking game, but some of the art actually looks pretty good[/QUOTE] Its pretty horrible in comparison to actual porn though.