BrownDust2 Abandons Steam Release Over Policy Conflicts

The adult gacha game BrownDust2, developed by GAMFS N and Neowiz, has officially canceled its planned release on Steam due to unresolved conflicts with the platform's policy requirements. The developers announced that they encountered an issue that could not be reconciled with the current version of the game, leading to the decision to shelve the Steam launch. This announcement follows Valve's recent ban of the horror game Horses, which has raised questions about the consistency of Steam's content policies.

After Horses ban, Steam loses gooner monolith BrownDust2 to "the platform's policy requirements": "We encountered an issue that cannot be reasonably resolved"After accumulating more than 200,000 wishlists, a NSFW gacha game cancels its planned Steam release over a 'policy requirements' problem 'that cannot be reasonably resolved'

BrownDust2 has been available on mobile platforms, including Android and iPhone, for several years, where it has received positive reviews. However, the transition to Steam has proven problematic. The developers indicated that they had been preparing for the Steam launch for an extended period but ultimately decided against it to maintain the game's core direction and quality. The specific nature of the policy conflict remains unclear, although speculation suggests that the game's character designs, particularly those that may appear underage, could have triggered Valve's scrutiny.

After Horses ban, Steam loses gooner monolith BrownDust2 to "the platform's policy requirements": "We encountered an issue that cannot be reasonably resolved"

Critics have pointed out a lack of clarity in Steam's content policies, especially in light of the recent ban on Horses and the cancellation of BrownDust2's release. Some users on the BrownDust2 subreddit speculated that the game's character designs, which include young-looking figures, may have contributed to the decision. This inconsistency raises concerns about potential self-censorship among developers, as noted by the lead of Horses, who expressed fears about the implications for future games.

After accumulating more than 200,000 wishlists, a NSFW gacha game cancels its planned Steam release over a 'policy requirements' problem 'that cannot be reasonably resolved'

In a statement, the BrownDust2 team explained, "We considered multiple options to make the release possible, but in order to preserve the game’s core direction and overall quality, we came to the conclusion that making the necessary adjustments at this time would not be appropriate." They also mentioned that, despite the cancellation, in-game rewards planned for the Steam release will still be distributed following a December 16 update.

After Horses ban, Steam loses gooner monolith BrownDust2 to "the platform's policy requirements": "We encountered an issue that cannot be reasonably resolved"

With Steam no longer a viable option, the developers are actively seeking alternative PC platforms that can better accommodate BrownDust2. They plan to provide updates regarding these potential platforms once more information is available. Meanwhile, the game's community continues to express disappointment over the cancellation, as many had been eagerly anticipating its release on Steam.

After accumulating more than 200,000 wishlists, a NSFW gacha game cancels its planned Steam release over a 'policy requirements' problem 'that cannot be reasonably resolved'

There is a notable discrepancy regarding the clarity of Steam's policies. While some sources suggest that the presence of young-looking characters in BrownDust2 may have led to the cancellation, others highlight that similar content has previously been available on Steam without issue. This inconsistency raises questions about the criteria used by Valve in enforcing its content policies.

After accumulating more than 200,000 wishlists, a NSFW gacha game cancels its planned Steam release over a 'policy requirements' problem 'that cannot be reasonably resolved'

• “We have been preparing for a Steam launch for a long time, but during coordination with the platform's policy requirements, we encountered an issue that cannot be reasonably resolved with the current version of the game,” — BrownDust2 Team

After Horses ban, Steam loses gooner monolith BrownDust2 to "the platform's policy requirements": "We encountered an issue that cannot be reasonably resolved"

• “This still does not compare to the kind of audience we would have on Steam” — Horses Lead

After Horses ban, Steam loses gooner monolith BrownDust2 to "the platform's policy requirements": "We encountered an issue that cannot be reasonably resolved"