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[CyberPanda]

The process of finding games on Steam has become increasingly driven by a tag system. Mouse over, say, Sekiro on Steam’s front page, and you’ll see descriptor tags like “Souls-like,” “Difficult,” and “Action.” Click on one of those tags, and you’ll be taken to a hub page for that game category. But that’s just the beginning. Steam’s algorithmic recommendations are often tag-based, meaning that users’ ability to discover new games is, in part, tied to those tags. For these reasons, some Steam users and game developers have taken issue with the fact that, for years, Steam hasn’t had an official LGBTQ+ tag. Yesterday, that finally changed, with Valve adding an approved LGBTQ+ tag after a developer once again shined a light on the issue.

Steam Finally Adds Official LGBTQ+ Tag For Games

archived 21 Jun 2019 22:21:48 UTC

archive.is

Complimentary screen cap regarding this, their opinion is very important:

 

[juliotendo]

I don’t get it. A video game is a video game. Is this even necessary?

 

[CaptainSuperFish]

I can't understand how that can be a genre of game...

 

[#Phonepunk#]

cool when can we get a "hetero fucking allowed here" tag?

 

[BlackTron]

Glad they're getting their equal representation now.

It's been too long that there was only a Straight tag.

Oh wait...

 

[Vawn]

ok

 

[KingdomHeartsFan]

What kind of person sets this as a filter when they are looking for their next game to play...Do you wanna search based on genre? No? Challenge? No? Sexuality of characters? Yes!

 

[nikolino840]

I don’t get it. A video game is a video game. Is this even necessary?

Yes
Now you can know if the game Is about a lgbt story

You don't Watch or search tags on steam?

 

[InterMusketeer]

Seems fine. Now I know what games to avoid.

 

[Stimpak]

Welp, I think now is as good a time as any to abandon ship and make a gog account.

 

[E.T. Waifu]

It's most likely made for dating sims and visual novel... things like that. You guys will get mad at anything that isn't Tifa's og tits.

 

[brap]

Very nice. Now I can easily find all the gay dating sims! Oh wait it's not like it matters since they keep taking all the fucking straight ones off. Useless tag.

It's most likely made for dating sims and visual novel... things like that. You guys will get mad at anything that isn't Tifa's og tits.

Cry more.

 

[ROMhack]

Don't see any issue with this.

 

[Husky]

games are gay

edit: not hating, this seems like a good idea

 

[Revolutionary]

What kind of person sets this as a filter when they are looking for their next game to play...Do you wanna search based on genre? No? Challenge? No? Sexuality of characters? Yes!

Yeah, it reminds me of that John DiMaggio clip from E3 where he berates some dude during a Q&A for asking about a characters sexual preference

 

[Tremmy]

Finally, a tag for "We want the CoD audience".

 

[brap]

So is there really no way to look for regular visual novels? To my knowledge steam doesn't let you filter out tags.

 

[Juke Joint Jezebel]

Eh, I'm fine with that, there's visual novels and even some more adult games on the service, so the tag is probably useful to a certain clique of folks out there.

 

[cryptoadam]

Wheres the Pedo tag? REEEE is very interested in that one.

 

[ROMhack]

https://store.steampowered.com/tags/en/LGBTQ+/

thank me later

 

[zeorhymer]

I don't see what's wrong with adding more tags. Makes the metadata more detailed and easier to search.

 

[Thelonelykoopa]

I can't understand how that can be a genre of game...

Steam tags are not genre listings they are more content markers like :Gore, Pixel Graphics, Historical, Replay Value, local co-op you get the idea.

 

[GreenAlien]

LGBT themed games are a thing and it's not going away. Makes sense to allow people to filter and search for it.

 

[Whitesnake]

https://store.steampowered.com/tags/en/LGBTQ+/

thank me later

Half of it is yuri VNs, the other half is shit.

And also Mount Your Friends is there. That’s the only decent game I see under that tag.

 

[SonGoku]

LGBT themed games are a thing and it's not going away. Makes sense to allow people to filter and search for it.

Yep this is good
If you actively search for such content, its now easier find
If you don't like such content, its now easier to block it
If you don't care this doesn't affect you

Win win

 

[MayauMiao]

Games without the LGBTQ+ tag will be attacked by the SJW media.

 

[strange headache]

I really don't give a crap about sexual orientation in my video games. I'd play a lesbian Cocker Spaniel if the game was any good. But for those who are interested in these themes, I really don't see an issue with adding an appropriate tag. Only makes finding and/or avoiding certain games easier.

And also Mount Your Friends is there. That’s the only decent game I see under that tag.

What, they haven't added Genital Jousting yet?

 

[sol_bad]

eh
I'm fine with it. If a game is centred around an LGBT theme I am less likely to care about it.
Does that make me a bad person?

 

[sevoro]

This is good for VN's and plot heavy games, I don't see how this appeals to SJW's or why anti-SJW's are getting.

eh
I'm fine with it. If a game is centred around an LGBT theme I am less likely to care about it.
Does that make me a bad person?

No. Makes you normal.

 

[CJY]

FINALLY!!!!

 

[pr0cs]

I'm okay with this but no surprise that it is front page at douchetaco

 

[DynamiteCop!]

 

[CyberPanda]

FINALLY!!!!

SLAY KWEEEN

 

[RedVIper]

So is there really no way to look for regular visual novels? To my knowledge steam doesn't let you filter out tags.

Go to preferences and you can add excluded tags.

I'm ok with this, I think "straight" tag and "male protagonist" tag should be added, more so the latter.

 

[haxan7]

No more surprise dicks and balls shoved in my face. What a relief.

 

[DynamiteCop!]

Why does everything seem to be getting so geared towards this nonsense that it's on the verge or has effectively turned people who were traditionally not; into homo/transphobic?

I'm quite tolerant but tolerance has its limits, they're pushing these things so hard in violation of representative mindshare that it's becoming instinct to push back. I'm beginning to legitimately hate something I was previously completely indifferent to.

 

[CyberPanda]

No more surprise dicks and balls shoved in my face. What a relief.

I guess we can't have fun anymore.

Why does everything seem to be getting so geared towards this nonsense that it's on the verge or has effectively turned people who were traditionally not; into homo/transphobic?

I'm quite tolerant but tolerance has its limits, they're pushing these things so hard in violation of representative mindshare that it's becoming instinct to push back. I'm beginning to legitimately hate something I was previously completely indifferent to.

Yep, tolerance of any form has its limits. This just want more virtue singling, and it is pride month so Steam wants more customers so they'll get them by catering to the LGBT market. It's all about money really.

 

[BlackOlivesMatter]

Our national nightmare is finally over.

 

[haxan7]

I guess we can't have fun anymore.

I said my face

 

[CyberPanda]

I said my face

I'm so relieved. Phew.

 

[Rentahamster]

I don’t get it. A video game is a video game. Is this even necessary?

Yes. Is any tag necessary?

If I want to search for games that have LGBT content in it, then this tag is relevant to my interests. What's the problem with more information?

 

[haxan7]

To be fair, I’ve seen a lot of random games that could be described as “gay focused” (not through any intentional searching on my part).

It doesn’t necessarily strike me as virtue signaling that they are getting a tag.

 

[Trojita]

https://store.steampowered.com/tags/en/LGBTQ+/

thank me later

 

[CyberPanda]

Cute Reee 2D Dating Sim.

 

[Garnox]

Meh. Makes little to no difference to me honestly.

I’m an advocate of picking ones battles. I feel this isn’t a battle worth picking.

 

[sol_bad]

I see The Missing: J.J. Macfield and the Island of Memories is tagged as LGBT, as far as I know it's a platformer game where you commit self harm and suicide to solve environmental puzzles. lol

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Good, I love classic platformers and third person shooters what type of games do you play?
I'm into LGBTQ+ games (I guess TLoU would be counted in there, if there was a Steam release, or is it not inclusive enough?)

 

[Redstarwater]

No one assumes that game genres are straight by default so having to tag which ones are gay makes no sense. You have to add a straight genre by their own defining.

But really in the end this is all virtue signaling.

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

so its back ... ok

 

[Iorv3th]

That's exactly what I look for when I want to buy a game. But there should be a tag for the level of lgbtq+. If it's not really super lgbtq+ why should I even bother.