As many of our followers know, we regularly stay connected with other digital literacy and internet safety advocates from around the globe. It’s a valuable way for us to stay informed, share knowledge, and spot online risks that may not have hit the mainstream yet. Yesterday, one of our trusted colleagues in Australia brought a disturbing game to our attention, one that should concern every parent and caregiver.
The game in question was called “No Mercy.” It was briefly available on STEAM, one of the world’s largest digital distribution platforms for PC games. This was not just another inappropriate or violent video game, it crossed the line into something truly horrific.
What Was “No Mercy”?
No Mercy was a 3D game that allowed players to assume the role of a male character engaging in graphic, pornographic depictions of rape and incest. The game promoted deeply misogynistic themes, encouraging men to “own” and “subdue” women. In the game’s storyline, rape and humiliation were presented as justified punishments for women who were “disobedient,” and disturbingly, it framed women as secretly desiring this abuse.
To be clear, this wasn’t a fringe game circulating on the dark web. It was available, if only briefly, on the very popular STEAM platform, a mainstream gaming site with millions of users, many of whom are youth.
When we learned about this game, we immediately checked to see if it was available on the Canadian version of Steam. It wasn’t. That’s because after a wave of public outrage, in less than 24 hours STEAM removed the game from its platform. But not before it became widely known and caused concern among digital safety experts and the broader public.
How Did This Happen?
STEAM, owned by Valve Corporation, has a notoriously hands-off approach to game content. Unlike most traditional game publishers that carefully curate and vet content, Steam allows independent developers to upload games through its “Early Access” or independent publishing channels. While this model has helped many indie developers succeed, it has also created opportunities for harmful content to slip through the cracks. No Mercy is a devastating example of what can happen when there’s little to no oversight in digital marketplaces.
Why is this post important? Your child may not have seen this game, and hopefully they never will, but this incident reveals a bigger problem in the onlife ecosystem: platforms are not always proactive in protecting their users, especially young ones. Harmful content, even when it’s extreme, can still make its way onto major platforms before enough noise is made to get it removed.
Here’s what this means for parents:
- Do not assume platforms are vetting everything. Many platforms, like STEAM, take a reactive rather than proactive approach to moderation. That means by the time something disturbing is removed, it may have already reached thousands.
- Digital literacy must include gaming platforms. While many parents focus on social media, gaming platforms like STEAM, are often overlooked. But these spaces are just as critical when it comes to keeping your kids safer online.
- Teach kids how to report and talk about what they see. One of the best protective tools a young person can have is the ability to speak up when they come across something that feels wrong or uncomfortable.
- Stay informed through trusted digital safety advocates. You don’t have to do this alone. Follow credible organizations and experts who monitor these issues in real time and can help you stay ahead of emerging threats.
The Bigger Conversation: What Kind of Digital Future Are We Building?
Incidents like the No Mercy game highlight the dark side of an onlife world where content can be created and distributed without proper safeguards. When profit and freedom of expression are prioritized above safety and ethical standards, it’s vulnerable users, especially youth, and in this case of No Mercy – women, who can pay the price. If your teen has a STEAM account, do you know what games they are playing?
We need to hold platforms like STEAM accountable, not just for removing harmful content after the fact, but for building systems that prevent it from surfacing in the first place.
As parents, caregivers, and advocates, we must push for an onlife world where safety isn’t optional, it’s foundational and this takes legislation by our governments to make this happen.
NOTE – change.org, who really lead the charge on getting No Mercy banned in Australia, has now created a movement to have this app banned globally. Here’s a link https://www.change.org/p/steam-remove-no-mercy-rape-incest-game-globally-now
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Teach
