Thank you for adding perspective. To be honest, in the age of machine translation, it's hard to gauge the nationality of users/fans/players, unless they say something to give that information away.
I certainly generally understand the GLOBAL implications of the rating (16+ versus 18+) - more reach, without knowing which countries would be affected by the higher rating (SG shows up on Steam in my country, regardless of the rating). In any event, what would be the point of gaining a sizeable Steam following with a 16+ game if subsequent seasons are unavailable to those players because of an 18+ rating?
Being completely honest, anyone 16+ who gets season one will be 18 by the time a full season 2 is released. So no issue for the next release. If people have to wait to be old enough to play season 2 in 2 years time, that's the same as waiting to play some 18+ CDprojecktred release (or not).
The issues with 18+ are pretty unclear. I can access plenty of USK 18+ pages from a German IP without being signed in or submitting an age check, but any AVN with DAZ models is shadow banned. I almost feel steam have identified the engine as synonymous with porn ...and for the most part they're not wrong.
THe thing that really irks me is that if it retains a 16+ rating even with the frequent sexual content tag, but still gets shadow banned, it's very clear that Steam are not following the ratings system. That would also put them at risk of some form of lawsuit, or class action surely? THe fact that large studios put out 18+ games in Germany that aren't shadow banned says a lot, but considering they can still advertise if there is no 18+ content in the advertising, I can see how they get around that. Ocean could consider re-rendering Sonya's (?) semi nude from the intro cinematic, I think that the only thing that might trigger 16+ on the store page.
I think the rating isn't as important as steam's efforts to shadow ban regionally, considering they don't restrict USK 18 behind account walls/shadowbans. Think of the first season as the best way Ocean can build awareness in the non adult gaming community.
THe other issue is to prevent the rating from voiding the music contracts. That's something that could cause the rights holders to issue takedown notices. Season 2 will have separate contracts to Season 1, so S2 definitely being 18+ doesn't affect the licenses for S1.
The other thing is until it's got it's rating stamp, because it's triggered 16+ concerns, it has to be treated as shadowbanned until it's been resolved. So once steam opens for business on Monday, if SG retains 16+, I imagine they'll attach the rating to the page and set the permissions then, but while the game is unverified but flagged as a potential problem, it'll be hidden.
At least that's how I'm reading the situation.
