A controversial game quickly removed
Released on March 22, 2025 on the Steam platform, No Mercy, a kind of 3D visual novel for adults, was quickly removed following strong criticism. In this game, the player embodies a man called to become every woman’s nightmare
with the mission of subjecting them, ignoring any consent. The scenario features acts of rape, incest and male domination. We were indeed able to test the game, and after a few minutes having to sexually abuse our mother-in-law, we ended up cutting the thing. This content was rightly deemed deeply shocking by users as by the authorities of several countries.
Political reactions and citizen mobilization
Alerted by Internet users, political leaders in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia demanded the immediate withdrawal of the game. Peter Kyle, British technology secretary, denounced content illegal
while the Minister of the Interior Yvette Cooper recalled that such productions violate the laws in force. A petition launched by the Australian collective organization Shout collected more than 60,000 signatures in two days. On Tiktok, many users have called to report the game massively.
Developer’s awkward defense
On April 10, faced with the magnitude of the controversy, Studio Zerat Games announced the abolition of No Mercy de Steam, first in some countries, then overall. While apologizing, the publisher tried to justify his work by evoking fetishisms
and by calling for more tolerance, declaring that it was not What a game
. This position has been widely criticized, in particular by the Women in Games association, which denounces the trivialization of sexual violence in the video game industry.
A case revealing the limits of Steam
This case relaunches the debate on the moderation of content on Steam, owned by Valve. Although adult games are authorized, the platform does not always require classification by organizations like PEGI. No Mercy was not evaluated before it was put online. This case is a good example of the presence of games of a sexual or misogynist on the platform, sometimes published in order to provoke or attract attention at lower cost. He also questions the responsibility of platforms in the face of the content they host.
