Federal Network Agency vs. Steam: Investigation into "Plantation Simulator" | heise online

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The gaming platform Steam is the focus of German authorities. The Digital Services Coordinator (DSC), based at the Federal Network Agency, has initiated investigations against the operator Valve. The reason for the proceedings is the video game “Plantation Simulator”, which already caused international protests a few weeks ago.

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The focus of the investigation is less the game itself and more whether Steam has complied with the strict due diligence obligations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The authority is examining whether the platform possibly filters illegal content adequately and responds to user complaints in a timely and lawful manner.

“Plantation Simulator” is a simple video game about operating a historical plantation. Declared as a historical simulation by the developer, the game primarily simulates a racist past: the core gameplay element was to increase the productivity of the operation by whipping the dark-skinned game characters used as labor.

The release caused outrage online. On platforms like Reddit or X, the “game” caused debates. While some observers consider the developer to be a troll with tasteless humor, others accuse him of normalizing slavery and racist violence. The platform is said to have received numerous complaints about the release.

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The Role of the Digital Services Act

On Steam, there is no quality control before releases. Any registered developer can submit software and place it on the servers without the operator Valve actively approving the content beforehand. This makes the subsequent complaint mechanisms all the more important. The DSA obliges platforms to provide an easily accessible, clearly visible, and user-friendly procedure through which users can easily report allegedly illegal content.

Such reports must be examined promptly, carefully, and impartially by the operators. Furthermore, Steam is obliged to transparently inform users about the outcome of this assessment. This is where the German DSC's investigations begin. So far, Valve has not commented on whether the title was even reviewed internally or whether complainants received a response. Ultimately, it was not Valve, but the developer himself who reacted to public pressure: he first modified the game and then withdrew it completely from the platform.

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However, this does not mean the case is closed for the Federal Network Agency. The primary goal of the DSA procedure is not the removal of a single title, but to check whether a platform has complied with the rules. According to a statement from the authority, the investigation aims to uncover and sustainably correct structural deficits in Steam's reporting system.

Cooperation and Potential Consequences

Since Steam has appointed its legal representative within the EU in Germany, the enforcement of platform rules falls under the direct responsibility of the German DSC. The investigators are networked internationally: The French media supervisory authority Arcom, which acts as the DSC there, had gathered its own findings beforehand and specifically transmitted them to the Federal Network Agency.

Steam now has the opportunity to respond to the allegations. Should the Federal Network Agency determine at the end of the proceedings that the platform has violated or inadequately implemented the DSA requirements, it has extensive sanctioning options available. These range from orders for rectification of defects and operational requirements to fines based on the company's global turnover.

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This article was originally published in

German.

It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication.

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