Steam has added a new rule that any game that violates the standards of "banks and payment processors" will be removed from the service.

Valve now suggests that developers should avoid "certain kinds of adults-only content".

https://www.eurogamer.net/steam-introduces-vague-new-rules-banning-certain-kinds-of-adult-content-to-appease-credit-card-companies

The rule seems so vague in application that it basically means they either don't mean to really use it or to reserve their rights to basically ban anything they could deem inappropriate in any case.

But yeah, considering what kind of game usually transpires in the Adventure/VN category sometimes ... It isn't for the worst most likely

I think it partly option one in that they really don't want to use it but if Mastercard and Visa threaten to stop supporting steam because of content they disagree with then they will remove that content.  This is a issue a lot of adult sites have because the major credit card companies refuse to support them.  

As far as I know, banks/payment processors can be a bit eager to ban certain kinds of content that isn't mainstream enough but could cause reputational damage even though there isn't necessarily anything wrong with the content, so personally I'm not a huge fan of this change. It's hard to blame Valve about this though, because selling such content would probably risk the entire platform in the long run.

They have already used it, or at the very least are doing so, as mentioned in the article. I think Valve just wants to stay on the good side of the banks/payment processors so they don't risk all of Steam. I don't think Valve is doing this to have more control.

Having Visa or Mastercard as the moral authority on what is allowed could be problematic though; as per the article, they have in past pressured the likes of Patreon and Onlyfans, and there's concern that in today's political climate you could see LGBT+ content targeted as "inappropriate".

Personally, I don't like the idea of banks getting to decide what art and media we are allowed to consume.

I don't know if I as a european want american companies dictate morals. I mean on Youtube people have to pixelate museums, because...

or

So no, I am not particularly keen on american companies dictating over the culture of other countries.

I'm a big believer in freedom of speech... ....but let's face it, we know what this is about, and neither Visa, Valve (or you) would want to be associated with it.

Freedom of Speech also means companies are free not to have their products involved.

There are plenty of options to host websites with this material. And Bitcoin is a thing if you are going to charge for it. And the FBI has a department to track you down..

Sorry, Steam and other platforms already banned games that are illegal before. They have to follow the laws.

This here is about legal games that clash with moral reservations some in the religious state named the US have. And also - why the fuck would we need payment processors for law enforcement? Again, on Youtube you have to censor classical art as I posted before.

Let the payment processor stay the fuck out of it. Law can and should be enforced by the states the service operates in, but again: we talk about legal games.

It is ridiculous to see these banks and payment processors going after adult videogames when they obviously facilitate many adult industries as well. I smell political shenanigans in this.

They've already done this to various media retailers in Japan, if even part of their catalogue includes adult content. Not even porn. Just sexy content is enough for them to have these discussions with various companies.
Although in those cases, they stopped working with Visa and Mastercard, rather than remove some of their products.

Pretty weird seeing them apply some morality to money that is not theirs.
I'd be sympathetic if it was illegal content, but this gives off the vibes of your local pastor making the transactions for you.