When it comes to distribution platforms, such as Apple’s App Store, some have criticized how strict and rigid it can be when it comes to the review process. At the same time there are also platforms such as Valve’s Steam, where a few months ago the company decided to opt for a more hands-off approach where basically anything can be uploaded, as long as it is not illegal.Valve has since posted an update on their website that further explains their choices and also some of the changes that they’ll be making to Steam. One of those interesting changes is having developers write their own content warnings and descriptions of games that might contain sexual or violent content.
According to Valve, this is because boilerplate warnings aren’t contextual enough, and the hope is that with developers writing their own warnings that gamers will have a better idea of what they are getting into. “We think the context of how content is presented is important and giving a developer a place to describe and explain what’s in their game gives you even more information when browsing and considering a purchase.”
Valve has also introduced new filters that will allow gamers to strip their search of games with Mature Content or those that are tagged as Adults Only. They can also use these filters to avoid particular developers or creators. As Valve notes in their conclusion, “With these sets of changes, we hope you have a better sense of how we’re approaching building a store that works for all developers and players. There’s still plenty of work to do.”
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