When news of Desk Plant's "Rape Day" sexual violence simulator made the rounds earlier this week, all eyes turned to Valve and Steam to see just what they would do given their stated "anything goes" policy.
But while removing the game was the obviously correct call, doing so with only vague explanations as to why opened up its own problematic doors.
What happened here, and how did the events of last year almost inevitably lead to this controversy?
What choice did Steam really have given industry and social media pressure?
And why might Steam's insistence that they'll know when a game crosses the line "when they see it" cause so much heartburn for so many small developers?
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/KVbFGrw5CkY
#Steam #Controversy #VirtualLegality
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Discussed in this episode:
"Valve under fire as sexually explicit game glorifying rape is listed on Steam"
Eurogamer, Update March 6, 2019
(https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-03-04-valve-under-fire-as-sexually-explicit-game-glorifying-rape-is-listed-on-steam)
"Who Gets To Be On The Steam Store?"
Steam Blog, June 6, 2018
(https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1666776116200553082)
"Rape Day will not ship on Steam"
Steam Blog, March 6, 2019
(https://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1808664240304050758)
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