Every 68 seconds, an American woman is sexually assaulted. 1-in-6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. Now, imagine living in a world where there is a game called “No Mercy,” with the goal being to rape or sexually assault every female character, including the player’s mother, aunt and sister. It sounds horrific, and unfortunately, it exists outside one’s imagination.

Developed by Zerat Games, “No Mercy” has the player discovering their mother has cheated on their father. They are told to “claim her for yourself,” leading to various scenes of the player forcing themselves on multiple women, including their mother. 

Due to the game’s unpleasant nature, a petition demanding the game be taken down was created. It garnered over 70,000 signatures as of April 20, and the game was subsequently withdrawn from the Steam storefront. How a game this appalling managed to be sold in the first place is perplexing, but some gamers’ responses suggest otherwise.

Some argued that there are worse games available on Steam, and this one just managed to break through the mainstream media coverage for some reason. Furthermore, the game’s outrage gave it more opportunities to thrive, as the developers moved it to a different storefront before it was suspended from there as well.

 Depicting sexual assault can be acceptable if the subject matter is handled with empathy, but actively encouraging players to participate and enjoy the act of rape is where the developers crossed many lines. An X user said in a post, “When we legitimise businesses that normalise the objectification of women, we create environments where exploitation thrives.”

The developers issued a statement in response to the backlash, claiming that playing games can be an outlet for people who have the desire to carry out these actions in a way that is “similar to shootings.” However, people with these desires do not need video games — they need help. 

“This is still just a game, and although many people are trying to make it into something more, it remains and will continue to be a game,” the developers said. It is not just a game; simplifying it to that is a one-dimensional way of interpreting artistic expression through video games. While it may be difficult for some to determine whether this game deserves to exist, it is essential to remember that life imitates art, and art inspires life.