There are many reasons why Valve might decide to remove a game from Steam, whether it be due to rights issues, exclusivity changes, or even just quality. But it's rare for Valve to pull a relatively highly-anticipated game, regardless of the reason. Yet that's what appears to have been done to Super Seducer 3, according to the game's creator Rich La Ruina. And while Valve doesn't share details about such matters publically, La Ruina has shared that information himself.
In a message posted to Twitter, La Ruina shared Steam's reasoning for pulling Super Seducer 3 without recourse. The message from a Steam representative says that "Steam does not ship sexually explicit images of real people," following that up by saying that Super Seducer 3 has had multiple reviews and so the decision is final. La Ruina even replied, saying that they're willing to take a "butcher knife" to the game, but Steam responded again saying there would be no further reviews.
RELATED: PlayStation Blocks Sale of Creepy Game
La Ruina is understandably frustrated with the situation. He says on Twitter that Valve didn't make clear that this would be the last opportunity to review the game, citing the game's 61,700 Steam wishlists as part of why he's disappointed in Super Seducer 3's removal. He doesn't, however, refute Valve's claim that Super Seducer 3 featured sexually explicit images of real people. He only says he would have edited it more if he knew this was his last chance.
Part of what could have played a role in Valve's decision is that, despite multiple reviews, it seems that Super Seducer 3 actually grew more explicit over time. La Ruina explains on Twitter that the latest version of the game is "way less censored" as a result of a discussion they had with a lawyer regarding what would be legal. They also admit that there are "uncensored feedback clips" in the game, implying they were very aware of the game's sexually explicit content.
The Super Seducer franchise and La Ruina himself have been heavily criticized in the past. La Ruina describes himself as a dating coach and runs a company called PUA Training, which stands for Pick-Up Artist. The games have been criticized for encouraging harassment-like behavior and misogynistic attitudes toward women.
Despite its controversies, the Super Seducer franchise has proven successful on Steam up to this point. It's also an oft-played game in certain Twitch circles. The removal of Super Seducer 3 from Steam seems very likely to create a larger controversy, but Valve very likely realizes this and still believes it's the correct decision at this point in time.
Super Seducer 3 is in development for PC.