Steam Is No Longer Allowing Adult Games In Early Access

In my gaming world, it’s been announced that due to some changes Valve is making regarding adult content on Steam, games with mature themes will no longer be eligible for Steam Early Access. This update seems to be a response to ongoing pressure from anti-porn advocates who are working their way through the payment processors that platforms like Steam and Itch.io depend on.

According to Dammitbird, the creator of Heavy Hearts, an adult action RPG, announced on X that their game was not approved for Early Access due to its mature content. The rejection notice from Steam, which has since been made public, stated, “We cannot support the Early Access development model for a game with adult themes.

In light of recent developments, Dammitbird expressed concern to GamesMarkt regarding their application for Steam Early Access. They explained that typically a game should be approximately 65% complete before entering Early Access. However, they claimed their project was around 70% finished, so it seemed like the perfect time to apply regardless. Unfortunately, without any prior notice or policy changes, it appears they are no longer eligible for Steam Early Access now.

As a game developer, I found myself in an unexpected predicament when my game, Heavy Hearts, was affected by Itch.io’s decision to delist adult content earlier this year. Although Heavy Hearts is still accessible on Itch.io, due to its de-indexing, it can no longer be easily discovered through search.

However, I’ve created a free demo page that you can find if you look for it. Itch.io used to account for about half of my game’s revenue, serving as a crucial source of income for me and my collaborators such as artists. While platforms like Patreon and Subscribestar are currently keeping the game afloat, they may not be sufficient in the long run.

To clarify, Heavy Hearts now finds the greatest stability in Patreon as a main source of support. However, it’s important to note that Patreon carries a somewhat troubled past regarding creators of adult content, potentially making them vulnerable to getting ousted from the platform too.

Critics, such as gamers, developers, and the International Game Developers Association, have voiced their concerns against unfair censorship of mature games. They’ve highlighted the need for more transparency and clear rules in the process. Platforms like Itch.io are exploring their own solutions, which include re-publishing free content labeled as adult-only (NSFW), and investigating alternative payment systems to manage transactions related to adult content.

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2025-09-12 12:09