Navigating the Steam Store’s Expansive Library with Kids in Mind
As the Steam Deck continues to gain popularity among gaming enthusiasts, its vast selection of games becomes both a blessing and a challenge, particularly for families with younger gamers. Michael Llewellyn, in his update on January 12, 2024, emphasized the importance of curating content for children, noting the presence of mature and adult-only games in the Steam Store.
Essential Steps for Safe Gaming on Steam Deck
Tailoring Mature Content Settings for Younger Users
The Steam Deck’s flexibility extends to its content control features, which are crucial for households with young gamers. Here’s how to navigate these settings:
- Accessing Profile Settings: Start by logging into the user’s account on the Steam Deck and selecting the profile image in the top right corner.
- Adjusting Store Preferences: In the Store Preferences menu, users will find the Mature Content Preferences section.
- Filtering Mature and Violent Content: Options to filter General Mature Content, frequent violence, and gore are available. Games like Mortal Kombat and Doom, known for their gory content, can be filtered out.
- Blocking Adult-Only Sexual Content: This setting is crucial for excluding games with explicit sexual content, ensuring that titles with extreme sexualization are not accessible.
- Blurring Nudity and Sexual Content: This filter is applicable to games like Grand Theft Auto and Cyberpunk 2077, as well as more explicit adult-only titles.
- Utilizing the Add Tag Feature: This feature allows for more precise filtering using tags such as nudity or gore, ensuring these titles are blurred out and removed from recommendations.
- Community Content Preferences: Profanity and slurs in community chats can also be filtered, enhancing the safety of online interactions.
Each child’s Steam Deck user profile requires individual application of these settings, ensuring personalized content control for each user.
Steam Deck’s Role in Family Gaming
The Steam Deck’s commitment to providing a safe gaming environment for all ages underscores its position as a versatile and family-friendly gaming device. With these content filtering features, the Steam Deck becomes a more inclusive platform, catering to the needs of diverse gaming households and ensuring a safer gaming experience for younger players.
