Steam prohibited a horror game developed by a female creator based on its supposedly explicit content, a decision she deems as stripping women of narrative control, asserting, "The game contains no pornography whatsoever."
Vile: Exhumed Faces Bans and Rallies Against Censorship
The psychological horror game Vile: Exhumed, developed by Cara Cadaver, has been at the centre of a controversy surrounding censorship and the definition of "adult content." The game, which deals with themes of assault, abuse, misogyny, and parasocial obsession, was banned from Valve's marketplace, Steam, due to its depiction of "sexual content with depictions of real people." However, the developer insists that the game contains no uncensored nudity, sex acts, or pornography.
The ban comes as part of Steam's recent crackdown on "adult content" games, a move that has been criticised for its stringent and sometimes opaque standards. The decision to ban Vile: Exhumed appears to be influenced by payment processors' vague policies around sexual content, leading to unjustified censorship of games that address mature themes without explicit sexual imagery.
Cara Cadaver, the developer behind Vile: Exhumed, has emphasized the absence of nudity or pornography, stating that the game's mature themes are essential to its storytelling. The ban is non-appealable and has significantly harmed the game's visibility, leading the developer to release it independently for free on a website called Vile is Banned.
The ban on Vile: Exhumed has sparked a rally among game developers, players, and artists, who are protesting against credit card companies' influence on the gaming industry. The quote "It might be porn games now, but they won't stop there" is a statement from an unspecified source in the gaming community, rallying against credit card companies.
In response to the Steam ban, DreadXP and Cara Cadaver are considering releasing more games as "shareware," a move that could challenge the traditional distribution model and highlight the issue of censorship in the gaming industry. The developers have also announced that they will donate 50% of the game's profits to Red Door Family Shelter, a Toronto-based charity helping families, refugees, and women escaping violence.
Cara Cadaver argues that the Steam ban takes power and storytelling away from women, marginalized artists, and everyone. The game covers topics of assault, abuse, and entitlement, making it a powerful commentary on societal issues. The release of Vile: Exhumed on Vile is Banned is not the only action taken in response to the Steam ban, as game developers, players, and artists continue to rally against censorship in the gaming industry.
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[1] The controversy surrounding the ban of Vile: Exhumed has made headlines in the general news, with many outlets discussing the implications of censorship in gaming.
[2] In the realm of social media, there has been a surge in discussions about the role of credit card companies and payment processors in governing the content available on gaming platforms.
[3] The ban on Vile: Exhumed has also sparked debate in political circles, with some arguing that the move is a violation of freedom of speech and creative expression.
[4] The entertainment industry is not immune to the impact of this controversy, with the ban on Vile: Exhumed being discussed in entertainment news and TV shows.
[5] The decision to ban Vile: Exhumed, a game that deals with themes of assault and abuse, is being criticized for ignoring the importance of such topics in addressing mental health and women's health issues.
[6] In response to the ban, some gaming channels on YouTube and Twitch are featuring discussions about the significance of Vile: Exhumed in the context of rpg games and the depiction of mature themes in gaming.
[7] The ban on Vile: Exhumed has drawn attention to the ongoing issue of war and conflicts in video games, with some arguing that the industry needs to be more careful about the narratives it presents.
[8] News outlets covering crime and justice have also taken an interest in the Vile: Exhumed case, due to its implications for free speech and creative expression in the digital age.
[9] The debate surrounding Vile: Exhumed is a reminder for gaming companies like Valve to approach issues of censorship with sensitivity, acknowledging the potential impact on deals, entertainment, mental health, women's health, and the broader gaming community.
