Topic overview
In brief
- Vile: Exhumed was removed from Steam shortly after its release due to censorship related to payment processor conflicts.
- Cara Cadaver made the game available for free and offered donation options to support her work.
- A physical edition of the game is set to be released, with proceeds supporting charity and standing against censorship.
Summary
In 2025, the narrative horror game Vile: Exhumed, created by Cara Cadaver under the name Final Girl Games, was removed from the Steam platform shortly after its release. The game, which delves into themes of parasocial relationships and sexual violence, was one of the first notable casualties in a conflict between Valve and payment processors Visa and Mastercard. The removal was part of Valve's efforts to avoid losing access to these major payment processors, which led to the censorship of games deemed potentially controversial. Despite the game's serious themes, it did not contain explicit sexual content, which raised questions about the nature of the censorship.
Following the game's removal, Cara Cadaver made Vile: Exhumed available as a free download, allowing anyone to access it while also providing an option for fans to donate directly to support the creator. This decision was rooted in Cadaver's belief in artistic freedom and the importance of sharing stories that address difficult topics. The developer expressed that the censorship was an attack on creative expression and emphasized the need for diverse narratives in the horror genre.