Steam Blog :: Rape Day will not ship on Steam

Steam:

Over the past week you may have heard about a game called 'Rape Day' coming soon to Steam. Today we've decided not to distribute this game on Steam. Given our previous communication around Who Gets To Be On The Steam Store? , we think this decision warrants further explanation. Much of our policy around what we distribute is, and must be, reactionary—we simply have to wait and see what comes to us via Steam Direct.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

It's 2019, somehow I'm not surprised that's a headline.

[drizzom]

Yeah. Its a game that would have otherwise been ignored and forgotten had it not been for this clickbait headline from polygon trying to make an issue out of nothing again.

[Eonjay]

You have the right to state your opinion about Polygon in exactly the same way that Polygon has the right to state their opinion about Rape simulations.

Same goes for Steam. They never surrender their right turn down content and the developer doesnt have to surrender the right to make it.

[sprinterboy]

Do you think a game called "rape day" was actually gonna be a good game anyway.
Nobod would have heard about it tbh if it wasn't for the media reporting it. Seriously does anybody actually buy shit like this oh wait pc nerds

[CDbiggen]

He is right. There's a metric ton of filth games on steam which get immediately shafted to page 100 it seems, the fate of this "game" would've been no different.

[sprinterboy]

What surprises me is the devs actually know there is a market for it? Seriously what type of gamer would have bought it?

[sampsonon]

the ones that just down voted your comment.

[frostypants]

A private business choosing not to carry a trashy product is hardly a 2019 thing.

[thorstein]

Wonder if Epic Games will publish...

[Razzer]

"Game about raping women in a zombie apocalypse"

Unbelievable that a game like that exists.

[Razzer]

You know what? Normally I don't care about agrees/disagees. Disagree with me about Xbox and PlayStation and PC and everything in this damn world that really doesn't mean a f*cking thing. Who the hell is disagreeing with me that it is ok for a game to exist that involves raping women?

Man up and respond, you cowards.

[Gamingsince1981]

I assume the people that disagree are the ones that see games as games and real life as real life.

Nothing is harmed in a game, that's why we are all fine running people over in gta without blinking an eye or constantly murdering people in assassins creed.

Imo games, movies and books should all be about what ever the creator wants them to be about because it's all fiction, if it sells it sells if it doesn't I assume they wouldn't make any more but censoring is stupid.

I think rape is a disgusting act to force upon another in real life and I wouldn't want to play the game myself but if someone else wants to play it (considering it's a game not real) who cares ? Who's harmed ? They aren't real people, they are data.

[beulahland]

"Man up and reszzzzzzzzzZZZzzZZZRONC!

Such danger.
Run for your life, folks! LOL!

[Razzer]

@Vikuro @gamingsince

Oh....so there are no lines? What about children? Are they fair game as well? Tell me you are both ok with raping little boys and girls in a video game? Why not make it the focal point of the game? It is just a "pixelated fictional game", right? "Who's harmed?"

[SegaGamer]

The people that are disagreeing with you are probably the same people that disagree with me when I criticise articles by thegg. I bet those weirdo's on that site would love this game. They liked a game where you could buy slaves and force them to have sex, so I bet they would love this game too. I wouldn't be surprised if they were planning on reviewing this "game".

[PoSTedUP]

im going to take a wild guess and say the disagrees are for the people that think its totally believable that a game like that exists... not that they think its ok or they want it to... i mean wasnt there rapeplay game years back, and like that one nes game about the guy dodging arrows to rape the girl, Custards Revenge was the name. totally believable that games like this exist. same reason why that type of porn exists. some girls like to be raped and others fantasize about it. yeah that sounds messed up but its completely true. (didnt disagree with you btw just came across your comment bud)

[sinspirit]

@Gamingsine1981

Death is a part of life. It's also so accustomed to us as a form of excitement in media. However. Death is normally not slow or torturous in media.

Rape is a psychological and utterly disgusting and inhumane thing. It's torture. Entirely different.

[Teflon02]

gamingsince
are you dumb? Do you realize someone has to make these games? Someone decided I'm going to make a rape game... No matter how you look at it you have to be sick af to make or be okay with that. It's not about it being a game. Having rape in a gmae and even it as a major subject is fine. But a game where you're raping ppl. This is exactly what I've been talking about and why I'm not against Sony's censorship. These devs are getting too damn comfortable with being perverts that they're starting to cross lines. They need rules and regulations now because they're going to far with this BS

[TheGoodestBoi]

I know right? I argued with alot of people on a gaming group on Facebook about this. At least what I did take from it is that I'll be avoiding those degenerates that are fine with this game going up

[Army_of_Darkness]

It appears we have very unhappy, stealthy disagreeing rape minded pervs in our midst...

[AnubisG]

I agree with you in this case. Who the hell wants to "play" a game like this? Have to be a sick mind.

Also, don't worry about your like/dislikes.

[bluefox755]

@sinspirit Death is a part of life, yes, but murder is not, not inherently. Yet we are all perfectly fine doing that in video games. Is rape worse than murder? Why?

[patrickman]

Then you're OK with murdering innocent men and women in RDR2 but not OK with raping? People need to know the difference between the reality and games. Killing people in game is fun because it's a game, but in real life, you'll feel horrible for just killing innocent animals.

[sinspirit]

@bluefox755

I just told you. Rape is a psychological torture as well as clearly physical torture. It's far different from someone dying from murder or not. This is why torture scenes are also rare to see in media. It's grotesque and most narratives won't call for it or show it in detail.

The thing is. Games for sensationalism are different than pornography. If you are excited by rape pornography than it is actually an extension of yourself and moral fiber. Because, of the way the excitement is delivered. It's nothing like a game where you kill people and they aren't there staring at the camera suffering or shouting discontent. It's not something you feel a physical connection to the way pornography is.

Most games also have narrative and rules in place to push the lack of guilt for killing other pixels. But, a direct example of when it's above that level is the Call of Duty airport scene. Killing innocent bystanders in a merciless bloodbath. Not a sandbox game. A level specifically meant for you to slaughter civilians. They had to put a warning and they got a heap load of flack from the ESRB ratings about it. It was optional to skip because it's not the same as you and an enemy fighting. Opponents may not want to die, but the consent is there when they pick up the gun to fight you. Now, sandbox games are a bit different. I don't have an answer to every example out there. But, the real question is why people are simply not questioning the ethics and morality of something like rape that is far more serious. Imagine being at a state of being that nearly anyone would agree is the most humiliating, traumatizing, and life-altering of all. It leads to self harm, suicide, never trusting anyone ever again, isolation, bad coping mechanisms, and far more. Victims have to live with it. It's torture during, and after the disgusting act.

All I see is deflection and excuses and not thought out retorts. Are people trying to say that they are glad to watch the humiliating and depriving act of a character while they scream and sob from being raped? You should keep to your stealth dislikes then.

[Gamingsince1981]

"Oh....so there are no lines? What about children? Are they fair game as well? Tell me you are both ok with raping little boys and girls in a video game? Why not make it the focal point of the game? It is just a "pixelated fictional game", right? "Who's harmed?"

Yes I'm fine with that as well because I can understand what's reality and what's a game with no one getting harmed. The peoole that can't tell the difference are the problem.

[Rachel_Alucard]

The dev himself was trying to appeal to sociopaths which he stated in one of his blogs. Probably one of the weirdest demographics I've seen targeted in gaming.

[sinspirit]

@Rachel_Alucard

"The dev himself was trying to appeal to sociopaths which he stated in one of his blogs. Probably one of the weirdest demographics I've seen targeted in gaming."

We can tell he succeeded

@Gamingsince1981

"Yes I'm fine with that as well because I can understand what's reality and what's a game with no one getting harmed. The peoole that can't tell the difference are the problem."

Oh. Wait. You're telling me Mario and Bowser aren't real? I thought I was actually saving a princess my whole life with each game iteration.

Super clever argument dude. There is far more psychological issues present here. But, you don't care even if you read my several comments. You don't want it to be applicable to yourself.

This isn't comparable to running around and shooting people in a game. This is psychological because you see a characters face, with emotion, with dialogue, and there is a physical connection to pornographic material beyond the controller. This is viewable prolonged torture. This isn't at all similar to a game where you play soldier and run around with a gun. This hits far closer to home and has far more attributes that are supposed to directly rely on a persons psychology.

Think of how rape victims dealt with one of the most inhumane and disgusting acts of torture a person could endure. How they have to cope with it every day of their life. It's far more oppressing than getting physically hurt or seeing someone hurt. You really think they should see that on the Steam store? Someone that probably turned to gaming as a copying mechanism has to see that on their platform now? Ah, but yeah. It should be consumer choice. Something that is psychological profound without a narrative to back up the act as an emotional buffer to engage a story and is clearly unacceptable in society. Steam has been lenient and acceptable of adult games recently. That doesn't mean they have to accept anything that releases.

[-Gespenst-]

There's an important distinction that people don't seem to be recognizing here. Think about games in which the actual objective is to murder innocent people - like, a school shooter simulator. Valve wouldn't allow a game like that on their platform. The whole "you won't allow rape but you'll allow violence and gore?" argument doesn't work. A game that has rape in it will sell just fine, just so long as 1. you don't play as the rapist, and 2. the rape isn't glorified or eroticized, and is depicted as the horrific act that it is. There's a big difference between that and the game in question. Think of any violent videogame - how often are you playing as the bad guy? How often are you fighting innocent / good people? Any game that crosses this line is controversial - the more it crosses the line, the more controversial it is, and if it crosses the line too much, stores won't sell it.

[sampsonon]

@Vikuro:

YOU SIR, ARE AN IDIOT.

[bluefox755]

@gespenst So a game that allowed for an option to rape, but was not the goal, that would be okay?
@sin Yes, we're more comfortable watching murder than we are watching rape, this is just how society has ended up. My point is, if you take away your emotions from it, is it more acceptable to depict ending an innocent person's life than to depict violating someone physically and psychologically? I don't deny that it's harder to watch, just like torture. My question is, is this rational? If so, why? I would argue that murder objectively causes more harm, not only to the victim, but everyone in the victim's life.

[Goldenarmz]

lol, you expect to get serious answer from dudes who troll female gamers online? Laughable. The same dudes who whine about Captain Marvel films? The same guys who go out of their way to lower the review score on Rotten Tomatos? those guys? Yeah, they wont come out of their caves to respond.

[Goldenarmz]

@vikuro, how old are you dude?

[nyu1]

@Vikuro

"If youre talking about lines its already been crossed, we kill innocent people all the time in every game, since when rape is worse than murder? "

Since it is almost always more disturbing when presented in media. You can try to pretend like shooting a guy in COD should shock people as much as graphic rape, but at that point you'd have to be actively lying to yourself. The idea of killing people is nothing. It means nothing in a game and people won't even notice unless the game focuses on it.

Now, go show someone a murder scene, then show them a rape scene. Ask them which one is more disturbing. The answer for most people is obvious. Murder, most of the time is 'kill and be done with'. That isn't very disturbing unless the movie/game goes out of it's way to focus on it. Rape is intimate. Rape is a form
of torture, essentially.

Now, are there certain torture scenes that are just as bad that Valve might allow ? Yes. Here's where you have to understand - there's a difference between the representation of violence vs sex on screen. Due to the nature of sex, rape is often more tricky to deal with. Remember, sex is a good thing, a pleasurable thing. Violence is not. Humans are wired at a primitive level to respond to sex positively, not so much to realistic violence and gore. That is what makes the portrayal of sex a completely different thing to violence. When it comes to rape, it becomes tricky to deal with. It's also why just about any portrayal of sex can become a form of porn. On the other hand, violence and gore is there for shock value, not for a pleasurable experience (except for a few crazies). Rape is not just violence, but includes the obvious element of sex. This makes it different, and generally more disturbing. It's taking something that is enjoyable and intimate and pleasurable at a fundamental level, and twisting it in a sick way.

Also remember this is an adult visual novel. It's essentially porn, and the intent is to sexualize and to provide sexual pleasure of some kind. I doubt it's purpose is to tell a serious story that just so happens to involve rape. That should tell you something. There is an audience for this stuff. I doubt there are nearly as many people who fetishize violence and gore.

[Razzer]

"we kill innocent people all the time in every game, since when rape is worse than murder? "

We do? In most of the video games I play, the people I shoot are hardly innocent and they are shooting right back at me. Amazing to me that anyone try and blur the lines between that and raping a woman or child. I don't take video games seriously at all. But there is a point where even a game can go too far. That is just a concept that you cannot understand.

[Neonridr]

agreed, I commented the same thing on a previous post about this game. They talked about how you could harass, violate and rape women to progress the story. I was like, how do anything of these actions progress a story in a meaningful or interesting way?

Strange.. but I guess people are allowed to make whatever they want.

[Harkins1721]

Im sure it would if it was just men.

[nyu1]

Raping men ?

Would it be really ? Would Valve allow an adult (read: sexual) visual novel where one of the objectives/gameplay was to harass, abuse and rape men ? Something tells me that's bullshit.

but forget that, you have to understand that these things aren't equal for both genders. You expect this to be biased toward women. Rape is by far skewed in the real world towards women. Men are on average much stronger and able to overpower them. The more advanced society has become, the less of an issue it becomes, but it's still skewed that way by far, let alone in the vast majority of countries that are not as advanced.

Obviously you expect societal views to reflect that. It's the reason why as a comedian, you can make certain crude rape jokes about men, and most people might laugh. However, you'd have change how you present similar jokes about women, because chances are most people will feel uncomfortable as hell. It just isn't the same. Punching up vs punching down. Ofcourse that example depends on the audience too. The idea of raping a man is not taken as seriously because it just doesn't happen as frequently, or it's seen as a much more 'out of ordinary' occurrence. On average, men have more agency against such an act. Obviously this does not mean that it doesn't happen, or that it is ANY less serious when it does.

Same thing with white racism vs black racism. In a country that has a history of blacks being kept as literal fucking slaves, would you be surprised that racism vs blacks is taken more seriously ? It's all about context. It's useless to look at principles and concepts without looking at the real context.

[Harkins1721]

Either it's all okay or none of it is. I only make these kinds of jokes to my group of women friends because they say the same shit to me. I've had my friends slap, grab my ass. Another would twist my nipples and lick her lips as she did it. I know this doesn't compare to actual unwarranted rape. But my point is yes females do it too. I must be friends with the right ones or who knows. In 10 years this all might come back to bite me in the ass.

[ShockUltraslash]

Justice is blind and equal to everyone.
Did you forget that?
Or your brand of law and order grants special gender and racial conditions?

[WitcheRivia]

Why does Steam even have an adult section? It's not like they're using it.

[Traecy]

Rape Day sounds fierce & not the good "fierce"

[SegaSaturn669]

Why the fuck not?!

[Cavalier]

A tasteless disgrace of a game.

[nyu1]

"“You can’t reasonable [sic] consider banning rape in fiction without banning murder and torture,” the developer says."
- dev of the game said this.

That's bullshit. Just as wrong as "Oh so you can kill people in the game but you can't have graphic sex ? society so backwards". These things aren't all the same. Sex is not censored for the same reasons as violence. Not to mention most violence isn't even remotely close to graphic torture. It also depends on the degree, and all of it is ultimately subjective.

As for the combination of sex and violence --> rape, it's just common sense that rape is way more disturbing and distasteful just violence. I mean, first off, most violence or 'murder' isn't even that disturbing, and is more in line with 'take down this enemy'. Rape is much more intimate. Rape is much more like torture. Even if you get to extreme violence and torture that is disturbing (eg:Manhunt 2, GTA 5 scene), that generally wouldn't be seen to be as disturbing as an equally graphic rape scene. When you add a sexual aspect to it, it automatically becomes more disturbing to most people.

People shouldn't be surprised that rape is banned when violence generally isn't.

[Chaosdreams]

Uh, good?

I know video games are a creative medium, and I respect the freedom to explore concepts that one wouldn’t perfom in reality, however, there’s a line and in my opinion this game (the title alone - Rape Day) crosses it.

Now everyone will argue “But everyone’s cool with violence and killing” and yes, that’s true and that’s what gives way to discussion for other explorative things. What and where is the line? What goes too far? I imagine the consensus that came to this decision was “This is a bad idea, who would want to play this? And why would they want to? Next thing you know people will say video games are a rape simulator.”

I’m not one to comment on another’s intrigue, but I think it’s safe to say we gain enjoyment from violence in video games, movies and literature in general - the destruction and release of steam. Which is why it’s so prevalent in our culture.

But, rape?

Video games have a greater immersion. Where we perform the act. While a movie might contain a scene that has rape, a video game (unless it’s a cut scene) that has rape as its main concept, is having you mentally sign off on it. Again, you might say “What about all the killing in video games,” and my only reply to that would be, “Do you want to rape a fictional character that badly?”

I can’t imagine someone arguing openly with others in a nearby vicinity that they’d like to play this game. Unless those people nearby also had a thrill to rape, and in which case, uh? Da fack? Now, if they are arguing on the freedom of creativity, again, take the L.

Anyways. I imagine the table of people who had to make this decision had a long hard conversation. Rape is horrible, downright disgusting and a corrupt form of nature. So is murder. So there’s an argument both can make, thus creating this awkward feeling.

I’m glad the result ended up this way, and that the line holds true.

[AK91]

Welp guess Game Journo’s lost their income for the next 5 months.

[xenz]

Great!

[Tross]

Ok, fair enough on this one Valve. I wish people weren’t treating girls in bikinis as a horrible thing to shield the children from when there’s stuff like this where controversy makes a lot more sense. There’s being sensible and there’s being paranoid. Alas, there seem to be so few examples of the former these days.

[Tross]

@the disagrees: So you’re either saying people should be equally offended by fan service as they are by a literal rape sim, or that raising controversy is never ok even if something does legitimately tread into controversial territory? It’s good to know what kind of people visit this site.

I’m simply advocating for people picking their battles and to stop getting offended over stupid things, because there are things that are way more iffy out there. Sure, fiction is fiction, but if someone got offended over Rape Day I’d understand. I can’t say the same for people who get offended by games like the latest Dead or Alive. Explain to me how these two examples are in any way comparable. I also find it deplorable that far more people have the time to be offended by the latter, which shows me where people’s priorities are these days.

[MetroidFREAK21]

Good. F those who developed that POS "game"

[SegaGamer]

You have to question somebody who would even create a game like that, it's literally about glorifying rape. If anybody think this is okay, then they are missing something in their brain.

[DangerousDAN]

Dude, just think about it: That guy had to plan it, draw storyboards and concept arts, design it, animate it, shade it, add all the textures, program it, and all kinds of things I don't know about game-making. All through the while that maniac is thinking it's all a good idea.

How sick do you have to be?

[Xaevi]

Understandable, but regardless of what your opinion may be I think this game has every right to exist. I think some things should just not be made, unless you're doing it for something other than shock factor. Kinda doubt that there's a legit reason for this games existence tho

[Christopher]

Not being on Steam doesn't blink it out of existence. I think a lot of people are treating it like it no longer exists.

[Chaos-Dad]

Thats against "Artistic freedom" (First Amendment)... like it or not. #censorship

[ziggurcat]

inciting or advocating violence towards anyone isn't protected under the first amendment. you can't, for example, utter death threats. that will land you in jail.

[Eonjay]

No it's not. Forcing someone to sell something just because someone has freedom to make it defeats the purpose of freedom.

[D0ffy]

When the fuck will people grow some brain cells and understand that the First Amendment only prohibits the government from making laws that could infringe freedom of speech? Valve is a private company, they can choose whatever they want to put on or take off their store.

The fact that people are defending this game is absolutely baffling to me. The developer can't be prosecuted for making the game but I have to wonder how messed up his moral compass is to actually dedicate as much time as it takes to make a game like this.

[Christopher]

Private companies are not beholden to that. Same way we can ban people for their comments here.

[Eonjay]

I was actually gonna use that as an example lol

[jznrpg]

That’s bullshit. Nobody has to help you sell crap. You can make all the crap you want but nobody has to help you sell it.

[The7Reaper]

Would have been a surprise if it actually was allowed

[nommers]

It’s interesting seeing people in the comments wrestle with their shadow self.

[zombiewombie]

What about the hentai games where if you lose, the creature fucks your character?! Isnt that rape?

[Neonridr]

perhaps when you start including the likes of creatures and/or aliens it takes it out of reality and puts that more to fantasy / fiction.

[mkis007]

This "game" is bad for the industry. Hatred wasn't this bad.

Whichever side you fall on...this "game" can't be allowed on major platforms like Steam. It belongs on DLsite or some other grey website.

Can you imagine the media outcry if this was released on console? Steam is too front and center for this "game."

[BioShockGX]

Valve you don't need to write an essay explaining why you removed the game, just remove and say "come on bruh u serious"

[stormhawk]

Weird that they didn't notice for 3 long weeks that this was unacceptable.

[sampsonon]

this is what the world has come to. Raping women is now a debate by nerds that jack all day in front of their pc's.
i feel sorry for anyone that thinks this is ok. i pity your existence.

[jznrpg]

I don’t pity them , they are disgusting and they should and most likely will get corrected at some point. I do feel sorry for some people but this is not one of the types of people I feel sorry for . Rapists and pedophiles are the lowest of the low . They should all be neutered for their crimes

[sampsonon]

thank you for the correction

[OG_TK_Cole]

The down votes in this comment section, on this particular topic shows to me that we have a lot of "Garbage" that frequents N4G. I dont want to hear "the developers have the freedom to do as they please," or the video game versus real life argument. Anyone who supports this game is a "Scumbag." Some of you (Not All Of You) on this forum are just straight "Trash" and you wonder why we have "Feminist" running through the Video Game Industry and the Gaming Community trying to tear down the status quo.

The reality is (Some) of you Men on this forum are the text book definition of a "Troglodyte" your not going to change, because this particular behavior was passed down to you from you Fathers, and their behavior was passed down to them from their Fathers.

If anyone feels that I have said anything wrong, I'll be at PAX East from March 28th - 31st. We can discuss this further up close and personal if you would like.

[ShockUltraslash]

Notice how Hatred was allowed. I dont see people committing mass rape anywhere.
But mas shootings pop up now and then.

[orbital71]

stuff like this has no place in videogames

[jznrpg]

Well it’s their store they get to choose what they want on it . I definitely wouldn’t put this on my store. . People have the right to make crap but doesn’t mean others have to help them sell it