Valve removes adult games from Steam under pressure from Visa and Mastercard, yet a title promoting Russian propaganda stays on

A petition against Steam’s censorship of adult games, driven by payment giants like Visa and Mastercard, has already racked up over 250,000 signatures. One dev even had his PayPal funds frozen for over a month despite selling legitimately on Steam. Meanwhile, a controversial title like Squad 22: ZOV is still up with no issue.

Steam censors mature games, but Russian military propaganda slips through

Squad 22: ZOV is a free-to-play tactical strategy game on Steam, where players take control of small squads and complete missions (like one called Liberation of Mariupol) based on real conflicts in Ukraine from 2014 to 2024. The game has received endorsement from the Russian military and is even used as training material for cadets and youth organizations. It’s also backed by the FDCSR, an organization that supports Russian soldiers involved in the war in Ukraine. Critics argue that it functions as clear propaganda, glorifying war and promoting Russia’s perspective on the conflict.

Source: Squad 22: ZOV; Developer: SPN Studio

The title “ZOV” literally translates to “call” or “summons” in Russian, typically used in a military context as a call to arms. Within the game, this name is clearly intended to evoke a sense of duty, mobilization, and patriotism. These elements reinforce the game’s militaristic and ideological themes, which is why it has generated so much controversy. Beyond the gameplay, the game’s narrative framing and messaging make it a clear case of how entertainment can be used to promote a specific political perspective.

Squad 22 launched on Steam in May 2025, so it’s been on the platform for almost four months. It’s a perfect example of how games like this can slip under the radar, something that shouldn’t even be allowed on Steam, while titles with too much violence or adult content are the ones getting censored.

• Steam
• censorship
• scandals and controversies
• Valve