Valve and Mastercard have done a little back and forth over the weekend on the NSFW payment processor controversy. At this point, it’s hard to tell who’s telling the truth, and even who is to blame.
Previously, On The NSFW Payment Processor Controversy
Steam and itchio both recently delisted NSFW games on their platforms. Both platform holders blamed payment processors, who told them to become more stringent in what games to allow on their platforms. If Steam and itchio did not comply, they would no longer be able to offer those payment options.
But we later found out that an Australian advocacy group called Collective Shout pressured those payment processors. Their actions were the reason everyone started enforcing stricter rules on NSFW content to the point of censorship.
Collective Shout tried to deflect responsibility last week by laying out a timeline of their actions towards Steam and itchio. The timeline speaks for itself, but now other entities are deflecting blame for the issue.
Mastercard Speaks Out
Mastercard gave this statement:
Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations.
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.
What Is Mastercard Saying?
PC Gamer explains that Mastercard is not a payment processor themselves. They run a system that handles payments, but the payment processors include Paypal and Stripe.
Collective Shout wrote an open letter to Mastercard, as well as VISA, Paypal, PaySafe, Discover, and JCB. So it was natural to assume that Mastercard listened to Collective Shout and took action. Mastercard denied that they acted on Collective Shout’s complaints.
Valve Disputes Mastercard’s Account
Valve gave this statement to PC Gamer:
Mastercard did not communicate with Valve directly, despite our request to do so. 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.
Mastercard’s Very Important Rule
Mastercard Rule 5.12.7 is a rule against any transactions that are illegal or damage their brand. They specifically name this as a violation:
The sale of a product or service, including an image, which is patently offensive and lacks serious artistic value (such as, by way of example and not limitation, images of nonconsensual sexual behavior, sexual exploitation of a minor, nonconsensual mutilation of a person or body part, and bestiality), or any other material that the Corporation deems unacceptable to sell in connection with a Mark.
What Happens Now?
Thus far, Valve hasn’t reverted any of its changes for NSFW games on Steam. In contrast, itchio has committed to reindex NSFW games and navigate around the rules to allow them on the platform.
GOG made a statement when they offered a FreedomToBuy bundle of NSFW games for free to claim over the weekend. Over one million users claimed the bundle. But the most salient thing is what happened next; the bundle ended so all those games can’t be claimed anymore.
If Valve and Mastercard keep shifting blame, instead of taking action, this issue will just keep snowballing. We want to see a resolution that returns to reasonable standards for content that actually strikes the balance between speech rules and harm reduction.
