03-10-2019, 06:00 PM
UK politician calls for review of Steam, sexually violent content
<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/uk-politician-calls-for-review-of-steam-sexually-violent-content.jpg" width="200" height="200" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>A member of the U.K. Parliament is calling for a government review of Steam after <em>Rape Day</em> was removed from the platform. </p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/rape-day-game-uk-government-review-1203157635/">Variety</a>, Hannah Bardell called the game “utterly abhorrent material”, and implored the government to “commit to getting around the table and sorting this issue for good.”</p>
<p>This comes following Valve’s decision to remove the game from the storefront <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/338127/Valve_bans_sexual_violence_game_from_Steam_but_stops_short_of_condemning_it.php">after it was ruled unfit for the platform due to the fact that it possessed “unknown costs and risks”.</a></p>
<p><em>Rape Day </em>is a 3D visual novel that centers around committing violence and assault against women during a zombie apocalypse, with developer Desk Plant encouraging players to “verbally harass, kill, and rape women as [they] choose to progress the story.”</p>
<p>For the most part, Valve says anything that isn’t “illegal or straight up trolling,” is given the greenlight, but notes in <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/338127/Valve_bans_sexual_violence_game_from_Steam_but_stops_short_of_condemning_it.php">yesterday’s statement</a> that their policy surrounding similar content to <em>Rape Day</em> should be “reactionary.” </p>
<p>“A game of this nature has no place in our society,” Bardell said while speaking before Britain’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee earlier today.</p>
<p>“I’m glad that it has been pulled by gaming site Steam, but their response was woeful. It did not even accept or acknowledge the risk it could pose.”</p>
<p>Bardell’s call for a government review urging parliament to “strengthen the legislation around this area” was supported by First Minister of the Scottish Parliament Shona Robison.</p>
<p>“For any online gaming platform to allow the publishing of a so-called game, which glorifies the killing and raping of women, would be disgusting and deeply offensive,” Robinson said.</p>
<p>It isn’t entirely clear what a government review might look like since Valve is a privately-owned company based in the United States, <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/minister-agrees-to-take-action-on-rape-day-video-game-1-4885166">but according to Scotsman</a>, culture secretary Jeremy Wright has agreed to investigate how the game was allowed to be developed and set for release.<br /> </p>
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<div style="margin: 5px 5% 10px 5%;"><img src="http://www.sickgaming.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/uk-politician-calls-for-review-of-steam-sexually-violent-content.jpg" width="200" height="200" title="" alt="" /></div><div><p>A member of the U.K. Parliament is calling for a government review of Steam after <em>Rape Day</em> was removed from the platform. </p>
<p>As reported by <a href="https://variety.com/2019/gaming/news/rape-day-game-uk-government-review-1203157635/">Variety</a>, Hannah Bardell called the game “utterly abhorrent material”, and implored the government to “commit to getting around the table and sorting this issue for good.”</p>
<p>This comes following Valve’s decision to remove the game from the storefront <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/338127/Valve_bans_sexual_violence_game_from_Steam_but_stops_short_of_condemning_it.php">after it was ruled unfit for the platform due to the fact that it possessed “unknown costs and risks”.</a></p>
<p><em>Rape Day </em>is a 3D visual novel that centers around committing violence and assault against women during a zombie apocalypse, with developer Desk Plant encouraging players to “verbally harass, kill, and rape women as [they] choose to progress the story.”</p>
<p>For the most part, Valve says anything that isn’t “illegal or straight up trolling,” is given the greenlight, but notes in <a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/338127/Valve_bans_sexual_violence_game_from_Steam_but_stops_short_of_condemning_it.php">yesterday’s statement</a> that their policy surrounding similar content to <em>Rape Day</em> should be “reactionary.” </p>
<p>“A game of this nature has no place in our society,” Bardell said while speaking before Britain’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee earlier today.</p>
<p>“I’m glad that it has been pulled by gaming site Steam, but their response was woeful. It did not even accept or acknowledge the risk it could pose.”</p>
<p>Bardell’s call for a government review urging parliament to “strengthen the legislation around this area” was supported by First Minister of the Scottish Parliament Shona Robison.</p>
<p>“For any online gaming platform to allow the publishing of a so-called game, which glorifies the killing and raping of women, would be disgusting and deeply offensive,” Robinson said.</p>
<p>It isn’t entirely clear what a government review might look like since Valve is a privately-owned company based in the United States, <a href="https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/minister-agrees-to-take-action-on-rape-day-video-game-1-4885166">but according to Scotsman</a>, culture secretary Jeremy Wright has agreed to investigate how the game was allowed to be developed and set for release.<br /> </p>
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