I clicked through Steam’s new releases last night. My cursor froze on a thumbnail showing a woman’s terrified face. The tags said “mature” and “story-rich,” but the description made my gut twist. We’ve all seen edgy games before—but when does “dark” become downright toxic?

Steam’s hands-off approach worked when we traded zombie mods and goofy sims. Now? Some devs treat content warnings like cheat codes for shock value. Sure, stores need variety, but letting games glorify assault crosses a line. It’s not about censorship—it’s about basic respect. When I see titles promoting violence as “gameplay,” I wonder… Who’s this for?

I remember when Steam felt like a clubhouse. Now it’s got back alleys. Last year, my kid cousin bought a horror game with one click. No ID checks, just “I’m 18” checkboxes. If stores can’t gatekeep properly, maybe PEGI ratings should matter more than profit margins. But here’s the kicker—Steam doesn’t legally need them.

Old-school games had limits. You couldn’t make Mario commit war crimes. Modern tools let creators explore heavier themes, which rules… until they weaponize trauma. I’ve rage-quit toxic lobbies, but harmful single-player stuff? That lingers. Ever finish a game feeling gross instead of pumped? That’s the risk here.

Groups fighting for inclusivity are screaming into headset mics about this. They’re right. Gaming’s my escape—not a battleground for hate. Valve built this platform. They gotta fix it. Maybe start by listening to players who want better stories, not worse nightmares.