Rape game banned from Steam as sick gamers promise to make game ‘cult hit’ anyway
After days 'under review', the PC game store has decided distributing the sick 'Rape Day' game would pose 'unknown risks' to its bottom line
A game that lets you play as a serial-killing rapist is has been banned by Steam because it poses "unknown risks" to the platform.
In the game, called Rape Day, the player must "verbally harass, kill, and rape women as you choose to progress the story."
In a post revealing the game had been banned, Steam's Erik Johnson said that while the company respects "developers’ desire to express themselves", this game presented "unknown risks" that meant it would not be published there.
The developer is, however, free to take the game and publish it elsewhere.
Last year Steam, the largest and most well-known store for games on PC, implemented an 'anything goes' policy for games after controversy surrounding a game called Active Shooter that let players simulate a school shooting from the point of view of the police or the shooter.
That policy officially allowed anything that is not "illegal or straight-up trolling" on the platform, with pornographic games locked behind an adults-only filter that users have the specifically opt in to removing.
However, this policy was not cited by Steam in revealing they would not be distributing the game.
"After significant fact-finding and discussion, we think 'Rape Day' poses unknown costs and risks and therefore won't be on Steam," the firm said.
"We respect developers’ desire to express themselves, and the purpose of Steam is to help developers find an audience, but this developer has chosen content matter and a way of representing it that makes it very difficult for us to help them do that," the statement concluded.
MIXED REACTIONS TO BAN
User reaction was mixed, with some praising the store for finally taking action, while others were less impressed.
The developer claims the game is aimed at the "4 per cent of the general population [who] are sociopaths" who would enjoy acting out the role of a "menacing serial killer rapist during a zombie apocalypse".
BACKLASH TO SICK GAME
Talking to Sun Online, Katie Russell of charity Rape Crisis UK condemned the game and others like it, saying "While the premise of this game is particularly shocking, it’s by no means the first video game to promote violence against women and girls. That such games exist, and that more and more extreme examples like this one are being developed, reflects how desensitised our society continues to be towards sexual violence and abuse, and the widespread lack of empathy we have towards victims and survivors.
It’s not just offensive, and undoubtedly distressing to many sexual violence and abuse victims and survivors, it’s irresponsible and part of a much bigger problem
Katie Russell
"Rape, sexual abuse and all forms of sexual violence are among the most traumatic experiences someone can go through in their lives, and their impacts can be wide-ranging and long-lasting, often even lifelong. They’re also far more common crimes than most people realise.
"We need to stop trivialising sexual violence if we are ever going to see a reduction in its levels or an increase in criminal and social justice for those subjected to it.
"There’s arguably no such thing as ‘just a game’ about rape or sexual violence when lack of understanding and awareness of consent and the prevalence and impacts of these crimes is so high.
"It’s not just offensive, and undoubtedly distressing to many sexual violence and abuse victims and survivors, it’s irresponsible and part of a much bigger problem.”
'STRAIGHT UP TROLLING'
The 'visual novel' seemed designed to both troll the platform and test its policies.
The genre is essentially an update to the 'choose your own adventure' narrative games, where the player chooses from a limited number of options before being presented with a new piece of the story.
"If people want my game to not exist... their best offense in my opinion would be to not talk about me, and not give me free press," the developer said.
Addressing criticism of the 'visual novel', the developer says that "If both my game is banned and I am banned, then I will ensure that a content platform for all kinds of legal, quality porn games exist."
"The problem with banning is that it creates a shadow market," before going on to complain about censorship in general and making further veiled threats against the platform.
"Most people can separate fiction from reality pretty well, and those that can’t shouldn’t be playing video games," the developer continued.
"I have not broken any rules, so I don’t see how my game could get banned unless Steam changes their policies," he said
Typical of much of the response on the platform, one poster responded to the developers comments on the game said "Nobody cares about your game. This is garbage."
Another described the developers as a "human piece of s***", which a third suggested he be executed in a gas chamber.
MOST READ IN GAMING
MESSAGES OF SUPPORT
Some sickos seem want the game to stay, though, with one saying "I hope you get the green light, just to **** off the lefties. Good luck."
One more supportive Steam user said "this game won't make me become a criminal... but those social justice warrior [sic] will".
Another user praised what the trolling developer was trying to do, however: "Without the controversy, your message wouldn't reach so many people, and I think that's the most important thing here"
Not everything is beyond the pale, though. Referring to a scene deleted before submission where the player had to kill a baby, the developer said: "this scene has been removed. I am sorry to anyone whom this scene’s existence caused distress."
The controversy around the Active Shooter video game initially led to a ban on "adult" games on Steam, though this was later reversed once an opt-in system for seeing such content was introduced.
It was also seen as part of the reasoning behind Epic Games' launch of its own store, with the firm making it clear at launch their platform would only ever contain a carefully curated selection of games they thought were acceptable.
Valve, who own and operate the Steam Store, have not yet responded to request for comment.
- If you are affected by this story or any of the issues raised in it, you can contact Rape Crisis UK, a national organisation offering support and counselling for those affected by rape and sexual abuse, or on 0808 802 9999 (between 12-2:30 and 7-9:30), or Victim Support on 0808 168 9111 for all those affected by crime
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