Rape Day prompts call for UK government review
British MP questions how Valve is "able to get away with this kind of stupidity"
A British member of parliament has slated Steam over the recent Rape Day controversy, calling for a government review.
In a statement released today, Scottish National Party MP Hannah Bardell described it as "utterly abhorrent material", and said the government must "commit to getting around the table and sorting this issue for good."
"The content of this game is utterly perverted," she said. "It's time for the UK government to undertake a full review into how tech companies and gaming platforms -- specifically Steam -- are able to get away with this kind of stupidity,"
"The culture to seek forgiveness rather than permission is a stain on an industry that otherwise has the potential to be a real force for good."
She was joined in her comments by Shona Robison, First Minister of the Scottish Parliament, who supported calls for a UK government review to "strengthen the legislation around this area."
"For any online gaming platform to allow the publishing of a so-called game, which glorifies the killing and raping of women, would be disgusting and deeply offensive," continued Robison.
"Therefore, I am delighted that Steam has rejected the distribution of this incredibly shocking game on their online platform."
Rape Day was described by developer Desk Plant as a "a game where you can rape and murder during a zombie apocalypse." Though unreleased, it was listed on Steam for over two weeks with an expected launch next month.
Valve yesterday caved to pressure and removed the title, saying its policy to such material should be "reactionary."
"We then have to make a judgement call about any risk it puts to Valve, our developer partners, or our customers," said Valve's Erik Johnson.
"After significant fact-finding and discussion, we think 'Rape Day' poses unknown costs and risks and therefore won't be on Steam."
Given that Valve is a privately-owned company based in the US, it's unclear what a British government review on this issue might look like, and what measurements might be enacted as a result.
Bardell did not respond to GamesIndustry.biz in time for publication.
If the Rape Day example isn't the 'Battlefront' of this issue, it's only a matter of time until something else is.
Zero responsibility policy always runs on borrowed time!
It would have a ban on all avocado rice krispies and a 10% pay rise for MPs.
As an aside, Shona Robison is the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport in the Scottish Government, not the First Minister. I know this is game industry focussed website but some basic googling of names before publishing might be a good idea.
Edited 1 times. Last edit by Graeme Foote on 8th March 2019 12:50am
We’re talking about a $4+ billion company who needed a court order to provide phone support, which they now do only in the sphere of said court order
We’re talking about a company that has yet to produce Half Life 3, or Portal 3, despite huge demand
We’re talking about a company that wanted to get into the console business, but not do all that hard stuff actually required to do so, and let their hardware partners take a bath, because no one apparently learned from 3DO
So the fact that they don’t care what’s on the store, and don’t do anything about it until the howls start shouldn’t really come as a surprise
Terrorism, violence, sex, drugs even rape are widely available in modern entertainment, both online and on cable. Why is it a problem suddenly when it comes to videogame? because they are more compelling? Many studies have been made on this issue and it has never been demonstrated that videogames are mind-shaping more than other media; why this complaint comes for rape day and not for game of thrones? or ''meat holes'' videos, those are available too for kids.
This kind of ''outrage'' serves only to make someone feel better about themselves and put the blame on those who show the symptoms caused by a very sick social system, for which many (not everyone but certainly not few) have to be blamed for.