Feminist Group Claims Responsibility for Removal of NSFW Games on Steam

Recently, Steam saw a wave of removals targeting 18+ games with sexual content. While Valve attributed the purge to pressure from payment processors, a new player has stepped into the spotlight.

Australian group Collective Shout, which describes itself as "a grassroots campaigning movement against the objectification of women" in mass media, has claimed responsibility for the recent policy shift and game removals on Steam. Founded in 2009 by feminist activist Melinda Tankard Reist, the organization has led various campaigns, including attempts to bar Snoop Dogg and Eminem from entering Australia, pressuring retailers to stop selling Grand Theft Auto 5, and a failed petition to ban Detroit: Become Human in the country.

As reported by PC Gamer, Collective Shout launched a campaign in early July urging payment processors such as PayPal, MasterCard, and Visa to halt transactions on Steam and itch.io due to the presence of 18+ games containing explicit sexual content and incest. Just days later, on July 15, Valve began removing such games from its store, citing pressure from payment networks. In response, Collective Shout celebrated the outcome on X (Twitter), vowing to continue pushing for bans on similar content despite backlash from what they described as "misogynistic gamers."

While many of the removed games were of questionable quality and content, some players are now concerned that the move could set a precedent for broader censorship through pressure on gaming platforms.