BrownDust 2 Hits a Wall on Steam
BrownDust 2, an adult oriented gacha RPG, was gearing up for a big Steam launch aimed at PC players. The developers Gamfs N and Neowiz had been preparing this release for a long time, even building up more than 200,000 wishlists on Steam. But just weeks before launch, the studios abruptly announced that the Steam version will not happen.
According to an official statement on the BrownDust 2 website, the problem comes down to Steam policy requirements that the current version of the game cannot reasonably meet. After discussions with Valve, the team decided that the changes needed to satisfy the platform would compromise the core direction and quality of the game, so they chose to walk away from a Steam release entirely.
For PC gamers who were planning to grab the game on Steam, this is a major change. However, the story also highlights some of the growing tensions around adult content, game platforms, and what counts as acceptable in the PC gaming ecosystem.
Why Valve May Have Rejected BrownDust 2
The developers did not specify exactly which policy BrownDust 2 ran into, but the game’s content gives some strong clues. BrownDust 2 is not outright pornographic, but it is clearly NSFW. Some trailers lean heavily into suggestive themes, including a track and field themed video that is far from subtle.
The biggest suspected issue is the way certain characters are presented. While most of the cast looks like typical anime style adults or older teens, a few characters have designs that make them look uncomfortably young. One character in particular, Refithea, is frequently cited by fans as appearing very young. Another character is said to canonically be 10 years old in at least some cosmetic versions.
This kind of material is exactly where platform holders start to worry. Valve has already been under pressure from payment processors like Mastercard over explicit content and anything that might be perceived as sexualizing minors. Earlier in the year, several NSFW games were taken down or blocked after Mastercard rules were cited by Valve as the reason behind stricter enforcement.
From a policy and risk standpoint, it is easier for Valve to say no to a borderline title than to deal with potential fallout later. Even though Steam allows many adult games, anything that can be interpreted as involving minors or very young looking characters is a serious red flag.
At the same time, there is a big frustration point for players and developers. BrownDust 2 has been available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play for quite some time. Both mobile platforms are normally known for tighter content restrictions than Steam. That makes the rejection look inconsistent and confusing to many fans.
The timing also adds to the frustration. As recently as early December, the official BrownDust 2 account on X was still promoting the upcoming Steam release and celebrating wishlist milestones. For the decision to hit so close to launch suggests that either policy reviews took a late turn or Valve changed its stance at the last moment.
What This Means For PC Gamers And The Future Of Adult Games
For players who had BrownDust 2 wishlisted, the most immediate question is simple: how do you play it on PC now? The developers have confirmed two key points:
- They are not launching on Steam in the current form.
- They are actively exploring alternative PC platforms that might be a better fit for the game.
That likely means BrownDust 2 could land on a different storefront that is more comfortable with its content or possibly on a direct download launcher managed by the publisher. Until they reveal the exact plan, PC users will have to wait for more details.
Despite the Steam cancellation, the team is not abandoning the community. They promised that all the milestone rewards tied to Steam wishlist goals will still be delivered after an upcoming December 16 game update. In other words, the in game bonuses and community events are still going ahead even if the distribution platform has changed.
Looking at the bigger picture, the BrownDust 2 situation is another sign that adult games on PC exist in a gray zone. Steam is the dominant storefront for PC gaming, and when Valve quietly decides a game does not fit its rules, that choice can effectively lock a title out of the largest part of the market. The problem is that the exact lines are often not clearly explained to the public.
Some games with adult content and anime style characters that appear quite young remain on Steam, while others run into invisible barriers. Combined with the earlier case of the psychological horror game Horses being rejected due to its disturbing nude horse human imagery, many developers feel like they are dealing with opaque guidelines that can shift without warning.
For PC gamers, this means that certain niche or adult leaning titles may increasingly show up on smaller alternative platforms or stand alone launchers rather than Steam. If you are interested in games that push boundaries, you may need to keep an eye on multiple ecosystems beyond the main Steam store.
For now, BrownDust 2 players on mobile can continue as normal, and PC players eager for a desktop version will have to watch for official announcements from Gamfs N and Neowiz. The game is not going away, but its path to your gaming rig will not be through Valve’s storefront, at least not in its current form.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/games/after-accumulating-more-than-200-000-wishlists-a-nsfw-gacha-game-cancels-its-planned-steam-release-over-a-policy-requirements-problem-that-cannot-be-reasonably-resolved/
