Steam Restricts Post-Launch NSFW Updates, Developers Point to Payment Processors

Steam/No Mercy/Mastercard/Visa

Steam has introduced a rule that stops developers from adding new NSFW content to games after launch.

Crimson Delight Games, the team behind the adult‑fantasy RPG Tales of Legendary Lust: Aphrodisia, recently confirmed they had to scrap plans to update the base game with extra explicit scenes.

The game launched on September 15 as an "Adults Only" title, complete with mature content warnings. Crimson Delight Games originally planned to expand the base game with new explicit scenes through regular updates while also preparing a major DLC expansion set for 2026.

However, Steam now prohibits developers from adding additional NSFW content to a game once it has passed its initial review and gone live on the platform.

Instead, new adult content must be delivered through standalone DLC, which undergoes its own separate review process before approval. This requirement significantly slows down development pipelines for teams working in the adult gaming space.

Why the Rule Exists

According to Crimson Delight Games, the restriction is not a matter of Valve pushing back against adult games. In fact, the studio described its interactions with Valve as "kind and forthcoming," noting that reviewers were helpful in explaining the process. The real pressure, they argue, comes from payment processors and external advocacy groups.

They also confirmed that these new rules weren't in place before the "Collective Shout uproar" and subsequent "payment processors' censorship."

"Valve isn’t the problem here. The big credit card companies are," wrote Frenzin, a rep from Crimson Delight Games. "If anything, Valve has stood up to them and pushed back. They could’ve simply nuked the 18+ section of Steam, but they didn’t."

Despite the new limitations, Steam has confirmed that developers are still free to release bug fixes, performance patches, and updates to previously approved adult content. The rule specifically applies to new NSFW material being added post-launch.

Dev also warned about the broader implications of such censorship. "There are factions within Western governments and companies that want to outright ban all adult content," Frenzin added.

"If they succeed, they won’t stop there. They’ll go after violent games like GTA next. Slippery slopes are a dangerous thing."

In the end, Dev expresses gratitude to Steam for continuing to allow adult developers to monetize their work. However, they remain doubtful about whether payment processors will be satisfied with these changes.