Russian Steam Block Hits Acclaimed Free Visual Novel REFLEXIA Prototype ver.
A developer who deliberately self-censored still had their work blocked, showing that voluntary avoidance of flagged content does not guarantee safety under Russian regulation.
Reporting from 1 source: Automaton.
Russian authorities added the free visual novel REFLEXIA Prototype ver. to a banned content list, blocking it on the Russian Steam store. Creator MAHOUMAIDEN said they avoided expressions like LGBTQ content but still got blocked, and is considering moving abroad. The game holds an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam.
MAHOUMAIDEN, the creator of REFLEXIA Prototype ver., posted on X that the free visual novel was added to a Russian banned content list on August 18. The game, released August 31, 2022, has 7,556 user reviews with 96% positive, earning an Overwhelmingly Positive status, and supports Japanese display. The creator noted 10% of the player base had their store region set to Russia.
MAHOUMAIDEN said they had tried to avoid expressions that government agencies might consider suggestive, such as LGBTQ content, but the work still became subject to regulation. The creator wrote with a sense of helplessness, 'Now I wonder if it even meant anything.' The game is distributed with Nikita Kryukov, creator of Milk inside a bag of milk inside a bag of milk, as the publisher on Steam. MAHOUMAIDEN also cooperated on the scenario creation for Milk outside a bag of milk outside a bag of milk.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.