Developer Calls Steam's "Pornographic" Rating for Wholesome Game "Humiliating and Surreal"

Molleindustria's open-world adventure game, "Future? No Thanks!," has been subjected to an 18+ rating on Steam, a classification its developer describes as "humiliating and surreal." The game, which has received a Teen rating from ESRB and a 12 from PEGI, is centered on a cranky old boomer attempting to complete a bucket list before their death. Despite its seemingly wholesome premise, Valve's decision to label it as "pornographic" has baffled the game's creator.

The conflict between Molleindustria and Steam's content guidelines began in July, with the release of "Future? No Thanks!" initially delayed due to "mild nudity." The situation escalated recently when the developer attended Gamescom in Germany, where attendees questioned the absence of the game's store page, which was inaccessible due to the adult-only rating. The developer shared their experience on Bluesky, stating, "This has been the most humiliating and surreal experience in 20+ years of game making. I’m desperately looking for anybody who knows anybody at Valve that can at least tell me what’s going on."

Initially, "Future? No Thanks!" featured untextured polygonal representations of anatomy tied to an achievement called "Have Sex One Last Time." Molleindustria confirmed that this content was flagged by Steam last month, prompting the development team to remove the entire "sex quest" and resubmit the game. However, Valve has reportedly refused to alter the adult-only rating.

The restrictions extend to players in certain regions. Users in the UK attempting to access the game's Steam store page are met with a message citing the "UK Online Safety Act," requiring age verification via a valid credit card before mature sexual content can be viewed. This requirement poses a barrier for players who do not own or wish to use a credit card solely for accessing 18+ rated games on Steam.

Molleindustria highlighted the discrepancy by comparing the game's visual style to its controversial Steam rating, noting that "Future? No Thanks!" appears comparable in maturity level to games like "Sex With Hitler." The situation echoes past controversies, such as the treatment of Santa Ragione's indie horror game "Horses," which was removed from Steam and the Epic Games Store for an X-rated scene that was later cut. Despite the removal of the offending content, Valve maintained its initial decision regarding the game's rating, a stance now mirrored in the ongoing classification of "Future? No Thanks!" even after its mature content was excised.