The recently released adult game "No Mercy" sparked significant controversy on Steam, with the prominent non-profit organization Women in Games condemning the title for openly promoting incest, sexual assault, non-consensual acts, and violence against women. The group called on platform owner Valve to immediately delist the game. In response to the criticism, developer Zerat Games issued a public statement addressing the concerns before ultimately announcing they would voluntarily remove the game from Steam.
Women in Games: Content is "Disgusting and Dangerous"
Developed by Zerat Games, "No Mercy" is centered on themes of "incest and male dominance," with a plot where the player character initiates an "act of possession" after his stepmother has an affair. The game's description implies through dialogue that consent is not required for sexual acts. Its Steam page also featured controversial images, including women being choked, and listed content warnings for incest, blackmail, unavoidable non-consensual sex, drugs, and violence.
In a statement, Women in Games CEO Dr. Marie-Claire Isaaman slammed the title, expressing shock that the game could be sold on one of the world's largest platforms. She argued that it sends a message that violence against women is not only tolerated but can be gamified, a value that she stated should have no place in any industry or community.
Isaaman called on Valve to take immediate action, not only by delisting the game but also by strengthening its platform moderation and implementing a zero-tolerance policy for misogynistic and hateful content.
Developer's Statement: Misinformation, Misdirection, and Kink-Shaming
In response to the criticism, Zerat Games published an open letter titled "Dear World" to address the controversy. The studio claimed that many accusations about the game's content were based on misinformation, with some commentators allegedly never having played the game and others using images from different titles as evidence. They urged the public to verify information before sharing it, rather than "blindly chasing clicks."
The development team also expressed regret that fiction was being confused with reality, emphasizing that players who tested the game understood it was just an adult game with no connection to the real world. Zerat Games stated:
"Unfortunately, many people confuse fiction with reality, creating stories like 'people who play No Mercy will go out and do terrible things,' or even accusing players of being mentally disturbed individuals who hate their mothers and women. We completely disagree with this."
"During development, we spoke with hundreds, if not thousands, of testers. All of them clearly understood this is just a game. They are normal people, as are all the partners involved in this project. We can guarantee that no one was harmed during its creation, and we all consider ourselves to be normal, mentally healthy individuals."
"However, the mental state of some of the people who wrote to us is concerning. The threats they sent us are more twisted than anything depicted in the game."
Regarding the game's sensitive themes of incest and rape, Zerat Games stated that these elements are common erotic fantasy genres found in much pornographic content. They emphasized that this content is unrelated to real-life incest or rape, but rather represents consensual role-playing and fantasy between adults, and should not be subject to moral judgment.
"Real incest is, of course, disgusting. We completely agree. But in the world of pornography, incest is one of the most popular kinks globally, mainly because it's presented with third-party characters who have no relation to the viewer, such as 'stepmom,' 'stepson,' and 'stepdaughter'—these are some of the most searched keywords. For emotionally stable people, it's just role-playing."
"We can guarantee that people who enjoy this kink do not develop sexual desires for their own relatives. If we were to criticize this viewing habit, it would be an overreach into people's private sexual lives. Some people like feet, some like uniform role-play, and others prefer this kind of scenario."
"Just as some people like feet or uniform role-play, others enjoy these types of situations," the statement from Zerat Games reads.
The developers even cited research suggesting that sex crime rates have actually decreased since the proliferation of internet pornography in the 1990s, arguing that the satisfaction of such fantasies through virtual content may in fact reduce real-world harm.
Developers Voluntarily Delist Game, "Don't Want to Fight the World"
At the end of their statement, Zerat Games announced they would voluntarily pull "No Mercy" from the store, stating, "We don't want to fight the world, nor do we want to cause trouble for Steam and Valve." They also thanked the Valve team for their assistance and support during development.
They concluded, "If, after reading all of this, you still believe this game should not have been created, we sincerely apologize. However, we also hope you can be more open-minded about kinks that do not harm others. This is still just a game, and although many want to paint it as something else, it will always be just a game."
Currently, "No Mercy" has been blocked in three countries: Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The game's Steam page is no longer accessible, and purchase options have been disabled. However, Zerat Games noted that players who have already bought the game will not lose access to it.