Seattle, Washington – A controversy has erupted on Valve Corporation’s digital storefront, Steam, over the availability of a sexually-based video game called No Mercy, developed by a Bellevue tech company.
Previously listed on Steam, No Mercy featured graphic content including sex, violence, incest, blackmail, and non-consensual sex. The game sparked outrage, leading to a Change.org petition being created on April 9 in protest of its availability on the platform.
Following public pressure, the creator of No Mercy made the decision to remove the game from Steam, blocking access to it in several countries including Australia, Canada, and the UK. This move came amidst concerns raised by individuals, including a Kenmore mother who expressed shock and disgust over the game’s content’s potential impact on teenagers and society at large.
In response to the removal of No Mercy, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation issued a statement applauding the decision while condemning the game’s premise, highlighting the dangers of normalizing sexual assault through gamification.
Valve Corporation, the owner of Steam, did not provide comments or clarifications regarding the process of approving games for their platform, leaving questions unanswered about the company’s standards and criteria for content inclusion.
The swift action taken to remove No Mercy from Steam underscores the power of public outcry in holding tech companies accountable for the content they host. The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing debate surrounding ethical and moral considerations in the gaming industry, prompting discussions about responsible content creation and consumption.