Credit card company Mastercard says it’s not to blame for the moderation or removal of a number of NSFW (not safe for work) games from Steam. In contrast, Steam owner Valve has alleged that Mastercard has “specifically cited” a rule to the contrary and has actively worked to protect its brand from damage.
“Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations,” the credit card company said in a statement.
“Our payment network follows standards based on the rule of law. Put simply, we allow all lawful purchases on our network. At the same time, we require merchants to have appropriate controls to ensure Mastercard cards cannot be used for unlawful purchases, including illegal adult content.”
Mastercard’s statement comes after game platforms Steam and itch.io removed or delisted numerous NSFW titles after pressure placed upon payment processors by Australian lobbying group Collective Shout. The move has received criticism from players at large, with some worried that “banning sexual content has always been a slippery slope” and Collective Shout could then decide to targete titles with queer themes, as an example.
In reply, Valve issued PC Gamer with further information that appears to contradict the larger statement.
“Mastercard did not communicate with Valve directly, despite our request to do so,” a Valve representative told the outlet. “Mastercard communicated with payment processors and their acquiring banks. Payment processors communicated this with Valve, and we replied by outlining Steam’s policy since 2018 of attempting to distribute games that are legal for distribution.
“Payment processors rejected this, and specifically cited Mastercard’s Rule 5.12.7 and risk to the Mastercard brand.”
As per Mastercard’s rules, Rule 5.12.7 states that, “A Merchant must not submit to its Acquirer, and a Customer must not submit to the Interchange System, any Transaction that is illegal, or in the sole discretion of the Corporation, may damage the goodwill of the Corporation or reflect negatively on the Marks.”
We’ll keep you informed as this matter progresses.
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