Experiencing the high-octane action of Fortune’s Run during the demo left me eagerly anticipating the game’s release. This indie sci-fi first-person shooter combines elements from acclaimed titles like Deus Ex and DOOM, offering players a thrilling adventure in a world reminiscent of the Imperial bases and sewers of Dark Forces. With its pixelart aesthetics and a combat system that involves high jumps, swordplay, bullet-pumping action, precision parries, combos, headshots, and terrain traps, Fortune’s Run promises to be an exhilarating experience. Moreover, the game also features a Dark Souls-inspired messaging system, allowing players to engage in basketball games and leave crayon graffiti for others—an intriguing addition to the overall gameplay experience.
However, just as fans, including myself, were eagerly awaiting Fortune’s Run’s release, an unfortunate delay was announced. Developer Team Fortune revealed that Valve, the platform on which the game was due to launch in early access, denied approval for its release. This rejection by Valve’s testers raises questions and concerns about the game’s future release plans.
According to a statement shared on the Steam page, Team Fortune expressed their disappointment with Valve’s rejection and revealed some of the reasons behind it. Initially, testers were unable to locate a specific “huge combat level,” which ultimately led to a week-long delay. However, Valve also took issue with the developer’s handling of the game’s subject matter, specifically regarding a content warning for sexual assault.
Team Fortune disclosed that the protagonist’s journey in the game is motivated by a past traumatic event involving sexual assault. To address this sensitive content, the developers chose to provide both in-game notifications and a store page disclaimer about mature content. They also implemented an option for players to opt out of direct references to sensitive material. The current Early Access build includes a sequence where the player views an alien creature engaging in explicit acts, intended to depict sexual assault as disgusting and revolting. The developers believed that this warranted a content warning and the ability to disable the scene.
To the surprise and frustration of Team Fortune, Valve deemed the depiction of sexual assault in Fortune’s Run to be insufficiently explicit and therefore not necessary for a content warning. This decision by Valve has forced the developers to make changes, including removing the content warning, despite their belief that it is an unjust decision. However, even with these modifications, there is doubt whether the revised build will pass the review process before the planned launch day.
For a small team consisting of just two individuals like Team Fortune, these setbacks are not only disappointing but also require significant additional labor. Addressing the challenges posed by Valve’s rejection has undoubtedly placed a considerable strain on the developers, who had already worked tirelessly to meet deadlines.
In an effort to gain a better understanding of the situation, I reached out to Valve to request their interpretation of events. Their response could shed light on why Fortune’s Run faced such difficulties and delays during the review process. Pending further clarification, it is difficult not to find this situation bizarre, especially when considering Valve’s inconsistent approach to policing “adult” content on Steam.
As fans of Fortune’s Run, we can only hope that Team Fortune can overcome these obstacles and eventually bring the game to the Steam platform. Their dedication to creating a unique and immersive gaming experience deserves recognition and support. Until Valve reaches a decision that allows Fortune’s Run to be available on the store, we eagerly await the day when we can join the high-jumping, sword-wielding protagonist on their journey through this captivating sci-fi world.
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