Progress Report - An Industry in Distress
It has been a terrible week for adult games. Collective Shout, an Australian based group, has pressured MasterCard into threatening Steam, forcing the gaming platform to remove a bunch of adult games. As of writing this, I have not yet been hit. However, I don't believe Over the Moon will be accepted onto Steam if their new Terms of Service holds. Steam is removing:
"Content that may violate the rules and standards set forth by Steam's payment processors and related card networks and banks, or internet network providers. In particular, certain kinds of adult only content."
I've done enough research to realize that nothing can stop this censorship train. The Government is not going to step in, advocates for adult fictional content are not going to speak up loud enough, and misguided organizations like Collective Shout are only going to pick up momentum speaking against more and more flavors over the coming years. Our freedoms are being stripped and I don't see any way to stop it.
I'm going to need some time to reflect on this and make a plan for the future. I may have to split my efforts between writing books free of adult content and making adult visual novels. Because it is looking worse and worse for this industry and I've still got to make a living somehow. If I start a writing career now, maybe I can have some income when this industry collapses entirely.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel like MasterCard should have this kind of power? Is there something we can do to stop this witch hunt?
Comments (37)
If they are gonna do this shit....then the damn adult video porn industries needs to completely go under.... They are the ones that are advocating for the censorship... Because the dirt bag shit brain bastsurds are losing money to the AVN/ VN writers and producers...GRRRRRRRR!!!
I'm crushed to hear it. I've heard quite a bit about this lately. You actually helped me heal up a part of my mind that was broken. Self-loathing. Nuff said. I want to keep supporting you. Do what you gotta do but keep your fans in the loop. I'll do what I can to keep supporting you. After you helped heal a part of my mind I thought would be a metaphorical tumor my whole life, I'm with you.
Glad to hear my work helped you out. That's exactly what my intention is with these works. Thanks, Guy.
Mastercard has nothing to do with it and should keep out of it. They supply payment solutions, one I will stop using because of this.
It is a sad state of affairs when a small, very vocal minority ruin things for everyone else in the name of their false religious views. If these people actually followed their own "good book" they'd all realize their lives are lies based on power and politics. Sadly, AVNs are an easy target, so to speak, as these zealots have a lot of money it seems to attack smaller groups of creators through major corporations. Corporations that purely cater to whoever has more money.
Is this just an Australia thing and affects you because you are Australian, or is it a global issue? I know the religious groups are gaining global traction, pushing their overly conservative agenda on the masses, whether we want it or not. It really is a shame that a company like Mastercard would kowtow a fringe group like that.
I'm American. More specifically a Texan. Unfortunately this is a global issue. There's been a lot of outrage over this though. We're hoping things start moving in the opposite direction soon.
I just don't understand how a group of nutters here in Australia could 'pressure' MasterCard. I mean what are they going to do? The entire population of the country could stop using their cards and it wouldn't really matter that much. I've heard both VISA and MC were doing this but I didn't know they were bowing to pressure from a 3rd party. Sounds a bit unbelievable to me. Seems to me you just need a site that hosts these games that accepts Bitcoin and you'd be fine. If VISA and MC want to hasten their demise then so be it. I haven't so much as dipped a toe into blockchain-based payment systems but if it's the answer to this sort of bullshit then I'd certainly be willing to pay for such things using such facilities.
It might be a case of 'The squeaky wheel gets the grease.' People aren't as willing to stand up for adult content as they are to stand against it. These anti-porn advocacy groups have a cult-like mentality. They will use any tactic, scream as loud as they have to, and do whatever it takes to get their way. It just so happens that MasterCard got in trouble some years back for facilitating transactions involved in sex trafficking, so now they're over-correcting, bending the knee to advocacy groups so they can posture morality. When in reality, they only actually care about profits.
is this just steam in austrailia? or should I start downloading my games while I can.
It's not just Steam in Australia. It is global. I can't predict the future, but I am noticing that this is blowing up in the news. Big YouTubers are reporting on this, there's a large outcry from various media groups. This is going to go one of two ways; Either there is going to be a large enough fuss over this incident and MasterCard is going to have some major pushback, forcing it to change these ridiculous policies, OR this is going to embolden groups like Collective Shout to go after more flavors, more games, and more forms of media. I have no idea where this is going to lead, but it's definitely the catalyst for something bigger.
Try to get it at steam will be a masterpiece just try to avoid the rules w family stuffs, rpe and those stuffs dat are baneables for the moment I guess if u can get it at steam there are too many hardcore games there I will buy for sure
We need someone to go through the numbers and see just how many porn games are bought on Steam, then let those dumb Aussies over at Mastercard know just how much money they will be missing out on
If you include games like Baulder's Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Witcher, I'm sure the numbers would be quite staggering. But of course those games are exempt because they make lots of money.
Seems like there is no way to turn for freedom of expression with all of the dictator wannabees and tyrants that want to control everyone. Now banks are getting into telling us what we can and cannot do with OUR MONEY!!! When my bank dicktates that to me I will take my banking business elsewhere.. Of course that will only last as long as a bank is available that will leave me to spend my money MY WAY without trying to censor my LIFE.. Do what you have to do Lockheart. You know we all support you no matter what the dicktators say..
Thank you, Leon. I haven't been hit in this wave of censorship yet. But the stress of the possibility is definitely taking its toll. And I lament for the developers who have had their livelihoods threatened by loud, ignorant cultists.
Valve/Steam is an American company and we all know how hypocritical US society is when it comes to nude/erotic art, while there are so many teenage pregnancies. I'm not familiar in the payment industry but is there a payment method outside of the US that can work ? Have you considered working with https://www.oppaiman.com/ https://www.oppaiman.com/partnership/
Oppai fan here. Stopped buying adult games on Steam all together.
There has to be a way to accept payments outside of credit card companies. Sounds like a business venture for the future. Cash is king!
I also accept payment in the form of lavish praise.
Best of luck going forward: No I don't think they Should have this kind of influence, I mean who cares about "Brand Image" when you are a Monopoly... I'ts not like I get to chose which network my debit card is a part of, my Bank does that and they can, and have, switched networks on a dime with no input from me. Even If I tried to shop around for a different bank, the small handful of other networks are almost as bad in this regard.
"certain kinds" well heck! Here's to Certain Kinds! Love your Work and Hope we Certain Kinders can always find ways to support You.
Thank you, RogueRat. I'm trying. I have no control over the world deteriorating into absurdity. But I'm going to do my best to hold on.
You haven't been hit in this first wave and I think non of the other big AVNs have, but it's just the first wave and I share your fear, that when this goes through uncontested, that they will just keep going. I wish that Steam would have just said, "uhmmm no!" because do you actually believe that Mastercard would have gone through with it and lose out on an (estimated) ~10 Billion that Steam has as revenue in a year? Can you imagine the riots when average people, that never heard of this issue, couldn't pay for their games on Steam with Mastercard? Visa would have had a field day. If they were smart, they would cooperate with Valve instantly and bring out a Steam themed Credit Card, that is "for all gamers and all Games". It's so damn easy, I'm honestly not sure why they aren't doing it. But, I agree, it's way easier to create an interest group to virtue signal purity, than it is to create an interest group for adult content. We all have family, we all have work and many of us can't be as open about this as we would want to be. But, to bring this thought to it's conclusion, the only option would be to bring people together and protest, as individuals, we are way to easy to ignore. What I can say is, that I'm willing to fight for these issues and I will follow you, wherever this goes. Maybe we could even go to OF, we sub there and you post pics on your wall, as you do here, and then when a new version comes out, you mass DM the link. I dunno, whatever it takes, paypal you money, or just put a 20$ bill in an envelope lol. It's so weird to me that all of this is cyclical, people in the 70s fought against these repressed ideologies and it actually got better in the 80,90 and 2000s, and now when a new generation comes along, all these freedoms get eroded again.
Thank you, Troik. I'm glad to have your support. We'll just have to see how far this censorship goes. Perhaps going after Steam is the straw that breaks the camel's back and we'll see things start moving in the other direction soon. We can hope.
It doesn't matter whether or not we feel that MasterCard should have this type of power, the fact is that they do. It's ironic that in doing this, MasterCard simulatenously show their strength, as well as demonstrating exactly how weak they are at the same time, rolling over to a bunch of Timothy White types with placards and angry signs 🙄 It really is pathetic. Honestly, I expected more from the Aussies, this is the type of behaviour I'd expect from the Americans but truth be told, this is how the world is becoming, in countries all over the world. It's this new generation, and it's only going to get worse and there is no way to stop it 🙄
Australia is actually one of the worst offenders of policing fictional content. America is tricky because it was founded by puritanical religious nuts, but also we have a major emphasis on our first amendment right granting freedom of speech and freedom of creative expression. I can see how it's kind of surprising, but Australia is actually far worse in terms of pushing censorship. MasterCard is not an ethical or moral entity. It's only incentive is profit. They believe allowing transaction of adult content will hurt the image of their brand, and that policing it will shine them in a positive light. And, given the ignorance of the general population, it might be working.
First thoughts are 1: creators unite to secure their own platform, 2: refuse Mastercard as payment option and cut them off from profiting from your work as there are many other payment options. Creators will need to be unified to fight this trend and band together to hire legal help and find organizations that fight this kind of censorship. This will only happen if creators unify.
OppaiMan's site might be doing this. I believe they're doing their best to fight back, but it's an impossible fight.
Ughhh, we're all gonna be using Crypto at this rate 😅 Have you considered Oppaiman btw? There whole model is for AVNs after all.
I have considered OppaiMan's site. Unfortunately you're required to link your Patreon to his, and he takes 10% of your Patreon income. It's not something I'm willing to do.
Do whatever you need to do to secure your future. That's priority number one. Between shitty activist groups like this and AI, pressure is on a lot of industries. Worst part? Pissed people have been digging on Collective Shout and found that they are/have protected real predators while pulling shit like this. The payment processors are no better, fully aware that TOS violating content on OF is still perfectly fine while going after fiction in the same breath. There's some very weird shifts in the world lately, but as others have pointed out, this shit is exactly like the demon panic in music, or "violent games cause violent people" garbage we've heard for decades. In the end, we can only do the best we can to fight back against psychopaths like this, "misery loves company" so that's exactly what these groups fight for: because they're miserable, nobody else should feel joy for what makes them miserable. I like DeadMan's idea of pressuring the banks to fight back for legal content, but sadly loopholes and pressure exist in all industries.
People were willing to fight against the censorship of violent video games. Adult content is something people will typically avoid associating with, even if they regularly indulge in it. They don't want the shame and ridicule that often comes with supporting adult content.
Let's see how long it takes until they come for Patreon and itch.io :(
VNs will just move off steam to another platform like the patreon and itch they already should be using. The people buying VNs will follow suit. Consumers will follow whatever avenue they can if the product is there
You have to do what is right for you but this has happened before and the banks and vendors pushed back making the card processors relent. I know my bank when asked told me that if the processor refuses any purchase that is legal in my country then they will go after them. So tell you fans to call their card issuers and complain about this. I have seen any games like yours hit so far, it's mostly the really bad stuff with what could be considered young and anti sematic or even making fun of alternative lifestyles.
Wish i had an answer, but these prudes seem to be everywhere