Steam’s getting its first Adults Only-rated game this June.
Hatred, the controversial PC twin-stick shooter where you murder innocent people, now has a June 1 release date. Previously removed from the Steam digital store during its Greenlight campaign, Valve head Gabe Newell personally reinstated Hatred, but it’s sure to spark further debate with its nihilistic, blood-soaked gameplay when it finally releases this summer.
The Entertainment Software Ratings Board reserves the Adults Only (AO) rating for a very small minority of games that contain “prolonged scenes of intense violence, graphic sexual content, and/or gambling with real currency.” Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Manhunt 2 both received AO ratings in the past, but developer Rockstar Games edited its titles to ensure a more acceptable Mature rating.
Polish developer Destructive Creations is refusing to alter its game to make it more palatable, however. It means that most retailers wouldn’t stock a physical copy of the AO-rated title, and it couldn’t appear on any Sony, Nintendo, or Microsoft consoles.
Hatred is releasing digitally, though, and Destructive Creations is actually pleased with the level of controversy it’s attracting.
“We knew that our reveal will cause some shitstorm, but never expected it to be so huge,” Destructive Creations chief executive officer Jarosław Zieliński told GamesBeat back in November last year. “We wish to thank all of our haters and all upset press for a great marketing campaign they’ve done for us. A week ago, we were a little company from the middle of nowhere, just some guys making some game. Today everyone heard about ‘Hatred’ and us.”