Vampire RPG Nighthawks Clears Steam's Adult Only Rating
The text-based vampire role-playing game Nighthawks had its mistaken 'Adult Only' Steam rating removed just before its September 22 launch, preventing it
The developers of the vampire role-playing game Nighthawks have successfully appealed an 'Adult Only' rating mistakenly applied by Valve on Steam. The label, which would have hidden the game from searches and blocked it in some countries, was removed just in time for the game's launch on September 22.
According to a statement from the developers posted to Steam and reported by Eurogamer, the game was incorrectly classified last weekend. This placed Nighthawks in a category typically reserved for pornographic games, making it nearly invisible on the Steam storefront. The developers clarified the game's content directly. "At the risk of disappointing some players, Nighthawks is not porn," they wrote. They described the game as dealing with mature themes and being "sexy"but not pornographic, with any suggestive scenes being text-based and nudity obscured."Well, it was stressful to go through and we were basically swimming in cortisol the past few days, but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a net positive," the developers' statement continued. They denied planning the incident as a marketing stunt, acknowledging their luck in having a fanbase and enough clout to get the issue resolved quickly. They expressed hope that highlighting the problem would make it easier for other indie developers creating mature games in the future.
A Wider Context of Storefront Scrutiny
The report notes that the Nighthawks developers are not alone in facing stricter content guidelines from digital storefronts. Eurogamer states that multiple queer developers spoke out against restrictive policies on both Steam and Itch.io last year. It also mentions other specific cases, including developer Robert Yang's compilation of his award-winning games and the satirical open-world game Future? No Thanks, which recently faced a similar situation due to mild nudity.
The developers concluded their statement by reflecting on the broader impact. They are aware that many other developers in a similar position would not have the same ability to get a quick resolution. They stated that, at minimum, their situation has made Valve aware that this is a recurring problem for indie games with mature content during the submission process. Nighthawks is available for Mac and PC.
