Steam Reportedly Prohibits Early Access Model for NSFW Titles

Early Access model of game release and development is reportedly no longer available for NSFW titles on Steam. The information was published on Aug. 30, 2025, with no official reason for the supposed policy change. Here is the official statement from Steam, which came as a response to an NSFW developer’s request to publish their title as early access: 

“Your app has failed our review because we’re unable to support the Early Access model of development for a game with mature themes,” the official Steam response reads, posted on Aug. 30, 2025. The response was shared by a game dev at studio Dammitbird, developers of adult adventure game Heavy Hearts. 

Early Access allows developers to test a product before its release. The players can provide direct feedback, which is used to polish the title while also helping fund the game development. Unlike pre-orders, early access allows players to immediately access the current build of the title; limiting this for game developers hurts indie titles, especially when funding has not been secured prior. 

Though no reason was disclosed, the policy change occurred shortly after Steam was confronted by payment processors, which were initially prompted by The Collective Shout campaign. The Collective Shout campaign requested that payment processors cease “processing payments on gaming platforms which host rape, incest, and child sexual abuse-themed games.” The campaign directly affected Steam, indicated by Valve’s new guidelines catered towards adult-only games.  

Valve has not officially stated that the supposed early access prohibition policy change for NSFW titles was connected directly to the social movement. Despite no official confirmation, various sources, including the game developers facing this dilemma, believe that payment processors pressuring Steam is the root cause of the issue.