Adult-Rated Steam Game Prompts U.K. Minister to Demand Its Removal from the Storefront

U.K. Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has demanded Steam to remove a game promoting abhorrent sexual acts and abuse. The game in question is called No Mercy, and according to its Steam page, it’s “not your average love story.”

Developed by Zarat Games, No Mercy is a game that has incest, blackmail, and “unavoidable non-consensual sex,” and according to LBC, players can easily access it. They reported that they’ve created a new Steam account with full access to adult content, and they were able to download the game without any hassle. They did it by simply ticking boxes that said they were above the age of 18.

Nova Eden, a child mental health expert, has commented on the issue, saying that tech companies make it easy for kids to fake their age and put in a card to purchase games such as these. She also added that parents often have misconceptions about Steam being properly moderated, but as it turns out, it isn’t.

Kyle told LBC that they expect tech companies to remove similar content the moment they are notified of it. He added that it is under the British law to do so and that it is something expected on platforms that want to tap into the British economy.

GamesIndusty.biz received a statement from the CEO of Women in Games, Dr. Marie-Clair Isaaman. “Women in Games is appalled by recent reports surrounding a Steam game, which encourages players to ‘become every woman’s worst nightmare’ and ‘never take no for an answer.”

Adult-only games are constantly being released online, with Steam being the only major platform that allows them. These types of games are not allowed on the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, and the Nintendo eShop.

Recently, the Online Safety Act 2023 has been put into action in the U.K. It is designed to prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content. The act also introduced a few guidelines for age checks that meet the enforcing body’s guidance:

• Open Banking
• Photo-ID Matching
• Facial Age Estimation
• Mobile-Network Operator Age Checks
• Credit Card Checks
• Email-based Age Estimation
• Digital Identity Services

While there are parental controls and age checks on Steam, the storefront can only do so much to protect children from accessing content they are not supposed to. An age verification that collects the person’s mobile number, facial scan, or I.D. only opens up to more risks that could have otherwise been prevented in case the data gets stolen.

The U.K. Parliament mentioned in their records that the responsibility ultimately falls onto the parents to make sure that their child is being guided properly in navigating the internet safely.

As of writing, the game is still accessible and on the storefront. LBC noted that they reported the game to Steam five days ago but received no response.