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PayPalUpdate 23:36 BST - Valve provided a statement to GamingOnLinux in response:
Mastercard did not communicate with Valve directly, despite our request to do so. Mastercard communicated with payment processors and their acquiring banks. Payment processors communicated this with Valve, and we replied by outlining Steam’s policy since 2018 of attempting to distribute games that are legal for distribution. Payment processors rejected this, and specifically cited Mastercard’s Rule 5.12.7 and risk to the Mastercard brand. See https://www.mastercard.us/content/dam/public/mastercardcom/na/global-site/documents/mastercard-rules.pdf.
Original article below…
Mastercard have today released a short statement to clarify their position on adult content across game stores.
To bring up to speed on the recent situation — on July 16th I reported on Valve removing certain adult content from the Steam store (with a statement from Valve). Later in July, itch.io ended up deindexing adult content noting the same pressure from payment processors, with itch.io now going through to reindex free adult content.
The pressure on payment providers has come from Collective Shout, that claim they're a "grassroots movement challenging the objectification of women and sexualisation of girls in media, advertising and popular culture".
It wasn't entirely clear exactly which payment processors have been putting the pressure on game stores, with Mastercard now putting out a statement that I've copied below:
Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations.
Our payment network follows standards based on the rule of law. Put simply, we allow all lawful purchases on our network. At the same time, we require merchants to have appropriate controls to ensure Mastercard cards cannot be used for unlawful purchases, including illegal adult content.
So this seems like Mastercard are basically saying "it's not us".
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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rea987 14 hours ago
But instead of doing any of that, Valve just said, fuck it, and hid all these games in Germany.
Huh, that wasn't like that between 2011 and 2015 in Germany. I remember purchasing plenty of violent games on Steam in Germany at the time. It must be have been changed later on.
poiuz 6 hours ago
Games containing Nazi swastikas are region blocked or region adapted in Germany and Austria.That's not necessary the case anymore. Nowadays, games can contain Nazi symbols. As far as I know Austria never had this limitation & were only affected because there was usually only one German version (the German version of the Wolfenstein games are still censored even though one can buy the international uncensored versions).
Steam basically blocks all 18+ gamesThat's not correct, there are plenty of 18+ games on Steam (with USK-18 & the new simplified rating system). The limitation you describe only affects games which are unrated / indexed / banned or "problematic" content (e.g. porn games). But I'd expect age verification to happen in the coming years (with all the porn hysteria that's currently happening).
neolith 4 hours ago
Interesting. GOG did this:Thanks for posting that. Sadly the button to claim the games doesn't seem to work, I always get "An error occurred. Please try again later or contact support if the issue persists."...
https://freedomtobuy.games
or
https://items.gog.com/freedomtobuy/index.html
stormtux 42 minutes ago
The sale of a product or service, including an image, which is patently offensive and lacksWith "nonconsensual mutilation of a person or body part" I understand that chopping of an arm of an NPC should violate the rule. This is a mechanic present in A LOT of games, even AAA games like the witcher 3. It is interesting they are attacking only indipendent developers and not multinational colossus publishing AAA games
serious artistic value (such as, by way of example and not limitation, images of
nonconsensual sexual behavior, sexual exploitation of a minor, nonconsensual mutilation of a
person or body part, and bestiality), or any other material that the Corporation deems
unacceptable to sell in connection with a Mark.
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