Fortune’s Run, an indie sci-fi FPS game, was eagerly anticipated by many gamers. However, Valve has denied the game’s approval to launch on their Steam platform, causing a delay in its release. The rejection is based on Valve’s lack of agreement with the game’s content warning for sexual assault. This decision has left the developers, Team Fortune, frustrated and disappointed as they tried to handle the situation diligently.
Valve rejected the launch of Fortune’s Run on Steam early access, stating their testers’ concerns about the game’s content warning for sexual assault. The rejection came just two days before the planned release date, causing significant disappointment for both the developers and potential players. Team Fortune shared their frustration on the Steam page, expressing their disappointment with Valve’s decision.
The Developer’s Response
Team Fortune explained that their game includes a protagonist whose journey is motivated by a past traumatic event involving sexual assault. To be responsible, the developers disclosed both in-game and on the store page that there is mature content in the game, with an option for players to opt out of direct references. They wanted to depict sexual assault as disgusting and revolting, as opposed to gratifying or arousing, as they felt many games did. However, Valve did not consider their depiction explicit enough to be classified as a reference to sexual assault.
Setbacks and Extra Labor
As a small team consisting of only two people, Team Fortune faced significant setbacks due to Valve’s rejection. They had to put in an extraordinary amount of work to meet all the deadlines and requirements set by Valve’s testing process. This delay not only caused frustration but also imposed additional burdens on the developers who were already working tirelessly to complete the game. Despite their hard work, Team Fortune was left to apologize to their fans for the delay and express hope that they would still support the game once it is finally available on the store.
The situation with Fortune’s Run is not an isolated incident. Valve has a history of unevenly policing “adult” content on their Steam platform. This rejection raises questions about Valve’s interpretation and enforcement of their content guidelines. Developers face a difficult challenge when trying to navigate these guidelines and ensure their games comply with Valve’s subjective standards. The lack of clear and consistent policies makes it even more challenging for developers to anticipate and address Valve’s concerns.
The rejection from Valve means that Fortune’s Run will experience a further delay in its launch on Steam early access. Team Fortune will now have to remove the content warning that they believe is essential for players’ well-being. However, even with this change, there is no guarantee that the revised build will pass Valve’s review before the new launch day. The developers are left in a state of uncertainty and disappointment.
Valve’s rejection of Fortune’s Run’s launch on Steam early access has caused frustration and setbacks for the developers, Team Fortune. The disagreement revolves around the game’s content warning for sexual assault, with Valve deeming it unnecessary. This rejection highlights the inconsistencies in Valve’s content policies and their subjective interpretation of mature content. As a result, the future of Fortune’s Run remains uncertain, leaving the developers with a tremendous amount of extra labor and disappointment.
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