Summary
- Steam is planning to delist all games that do not have an age rating in the German market, due to recent regulatory changes within the country.
- Game developers on Steam will be required to have their games rated by either the German USK or Steam's built-in ratings system by November 15.
- The change will look to more heavily regulate games released in the German market through Steam, with the aim at cracking down on unrated games.
A recent change from Steam will see some games on the online marketplace becoming unavailable in Germany, in cooperation with a German law regarding age ratings. The massively popular online platform developed by Valve has long been one of gaming's most well-known marketplaces, with a library sporting tens of thousands of games. Steam is one of gaming's most widely accessible platforms throughout the world, with most countries having access to the marketplace. However, one country's Steam store is set to see some major changes in the near future.
While Steam's popularity has opened up the platform to a wide variety of users, the storefront also boasts a significant diversity in its games. While users can easily purchase games meant for children, like Freddy Fish and the Putt-Putt games, the platform also hosts a wide array of games geared towards adult audiences as well. Though many games coming to the platform do receive ratings by proper ratings boards like the ESRB and PEGI, Steam does not feature a hard requirement for developers to have their games rated. Now, Steam is adjusting its policy on unrated games in the German market.
Steam Delisting Unrated Games in Germany
As reported by GameReactor, Steam is making several changes to its available library of games in Germany due to a German regulation. A recent update from German regulatory board BZKJ has stated that games listed on Steam will be required to have an age rating to comply with Germany's laws. As a result, Steam will be de-listing all unrated games on the German market later this year, with a deadline of November 15 for games to receive ratings. Developers will be able to complete this requirement either through Steam's built-in rating system or German ratings agency USK.
The major shift to Germany's policy is set to affect a wide array of games within the Steam market, forcing developers to comply with local ratings laws. Video game ratings have been a hot-button issue for years since the early days of gaming, with agencies like the ESRB established to regulate game sales. Many agencies have tried a variety of different methods to determine available for different customers, with the ESRB even proposing a facial age verification system last year.
Steam's new policies in Germany come as the developer has increasingly looked to expand its scope beyond the online storefront. Valve's launch of the Steam Deck would become one of the hottest handheld devices in gaming, boasting a plethora of ways to customize the Steam Deck with different apps. Valve has also experimented in VR technology with the Valve Index, releasing VR-compatible versions of popular first-party franchises like Half-Life Alyx and Portal spinoff Aperture Hand Lab. Steam's newest regulations will help the platform continue to grow while also better regulating its German market.
Steam is a digital video game storefront and program developed by Valve that allows gamers to purchase, play, and mod their titles all through one convenient program.
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