As much as we've loved the introduction - and growth - of visual novels to Steam's digital PC gaming marketplace, the one thorn in its side has been the inability to sell 18+ visual novels with sexual content on the storefront.
We may be seeing the first signs of change to Valve's policy on sexual content within their storefront however, with news that visual novel translator and publisher MangaGamer have reached an agreement to sell the full, uncensored version of yuri visual novel Kindred Spirits on the Roof on Steam.
Here's the full press release from MangaGamer on the subject:
September 1st, 2015 — Valve and MangaGamer.com Break Down Barriers With Upcoming Uncensored Steam Release of Kindred Spirits on the Roof
MangaGamer.com has just announced that one of their latest acquisitions, Kindred Spirits on the Roof, first presented at Otakon 2015, will also be released on Steam. General Manager of MangaGamer.com Koji Hotta stated, “We've always been proud of our work at MangaGamer.com and seeing the industry move in a socially progressive direction is motivating."
The story of Kindred Spirits focuses on a lesbian relationship between two ghost girls who haunt an all-girls academy and the unrequited feelings in their hearts, unable to fully experience love during their lives. The game features some explicit sexual content which will remain uncensored in the upcoming official Steam release. The game’s catchphrase is “Let's make this a Yuritopia!”
“It's great to see our years of effort finally paying off as visual novels containing adult content gain more mainstream acceptance and recognition as a valuable medium for artistic expression.” John Pickett, MangaGamer.com’s head translator commented. “This is monumental news for the industry as a whole. Everything will be open and up-front with this release; no off-site patch or workarounds. Kindred Spirits will be sold on Steam completely uncensored. Seeing frank depictions of same-sex relationships welcomed on such a major gaming platform is a true testament to the open-mindedness of our society and the growing desire for mature entertainment that people of all walks of life can enjoy.”
The MangaGamer.com staff sound optimistic about the future, “We always have and always will support the full adult content on our platform like we did with *eden. However, it's great to see our partners at Valve making a shift toward acceptance on this topic. We've also seen bundle sites like Groupees and IndieGala now more open to adult content. It's motivating for the future.”
Would you like to see more adult content on the Steam store? Where should the line be drawn, if anywhere? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
