Upcoming Vampire RPG Nighthawks Faces Steam Delistings After Adults Only Classification

Upcoming vampire RPG Nighthawks has run into trouble on Steam. Valve has classified the title as Adults Only, which has caused the game to be removed from Steam search results and entirely delisted in certain countries like Germany. The game is scheduled to launch on September 22.

Publisher Wadjet Eye Games and creator Richard Cobbett have expressed shock over the rating. Wadjet Eye boss Dave Gilbert stated that Valve is under the impression the game is much sexier than it actually is. Cobbett noted that the Adults Only label is a major blow to the launch because it immediately makes the game unavailable in key markets. He added that while vampires are inherently mature, the actual depictions of nudity and sex are very mild, comedic in tone, and far less explicit than typical cable television content. Romance elements generally involve tasteful fades to black rather than explicit scenes.

Valve's rules regarding adult content require developers to properly age-gate mature themes. Furthermore, policies introduced last year prohibit content that might violate the standards of payment processors and card networks. Other developers have faced similar hurdles recently, such as the indie adventure Future? No thanks!, which experienced a lengthy review process earlier in the year over low-poly artistic nudity before eventually releasing in September.

The team behind Nighthawks has contacted Valve in hopes that the classification will be quickly reversed so the game can launch as planned. Meanwhile, the title remains heavily restricted in search visibility and specific regional markets.