Sexually explicit and violent game No Mercy pulled from sale on Steam in the UK

After being called out by the UK's technology secretary, Peter Kyle, recently (thanks, LBC), Valve has decided to take action and to remove the conflicting video game No Mercy from sale in the UK on Steam.

The title is regarded as very sexually explicit and features themes of incest, male domination, and graphic content, and it has been used as an example of the lack of regulation on Valve's storefront. After being spotlighted, the American company has pulled the game from several markets on the platform, including the UK, as noticed by GamesIndustry.biz.

For those wondering how such a conflicting game managed to go on sale in the first place, Steam doesn't actually require PEGI or local ratings for a game to be sold on the platform in a country. This means that while PEGI would likely have had a lot to say about the game, it could be sold on Steam without an issue, and was, up until recently.

Speaking with LBC prior, the Games Rating Authority has noted: "In the UK, physical game releases must carry a PEGI age rating by law. Digital games are not legally required to carry an age rating, but the majority of leading stores use the trusted PEGI age rating process to provide confidence to consumers.

"Although games on Steam can optionally apply for a PEGI age rating via our classification process, it is not mandated by the platform prior to a game's release.

"The Games Rating Authority has not classified this game and has not been approach to classify it since its release."

Valve has not commented on the decision to take down the game in certain markets.