*Final Update* 6/8:
Valve recently released an update on the situation. The whole thing is a pretty interesting read, but long story short, they’ve finally made up their mind to keep the games on the platform, but give users more filter options over what they see and don’t see in the store. They’re also going to try to improve quality and content control, which may vary depending on the region.
As of 5/22:
1) The games in question are currently under “re-review” by Steam. The previous ultimatum was lifted, but there’s no indication yet as to whether or not Valve will follow through with its intent to censor/remove certain types of games on Steam.
2) It came to light there is an advocacy group that’s been pressuring Valve/Steam to remove such content for some time now. Formerly known as Morality in Media, the group changed its name to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation about three years ago. It’s unclear, though, if they’re the primary reason for the recent notices to developers.
We are amidst the aftermath of some breaking news regarding Steam and its possible censorship/removal of several games. In this Special Feature, Derek is joined by Manaban, a Moderator for the MAL Harem and Ecchi Club.
Manaban shares his thoughts on the contextualization of sexually suggestive games, and why they may be censored differently than other types of games that feature more sexually explicit content (sexually suggestive games and visual novels vs games like Witcher 3, and GTA).
Who determines what gets censored and when?
Are violent content and sexual content held to different standards of censorship?
We’ll attempt to tackle these questions and more right now on Weeabros Anime Podcast!
Click here to listen on anchor.fm!
Continue reading “Special Feature: Censorship in Anime and Games (Ft. Manaban)” →
