Valve has pulled raunchy simulation game House Party off Steam due to complaints over its sexual content, but it could return if the developers make a "watered down" version.

House Party is a sex-themed game where the player makes their way around a house party, drinking, fighting and smooth-talking women with the ultimate aim of getting laid.

The game proved a modest success on Steam (unsurprisingly streamers were quick to give it a shot), and it sold over 35,000 copies in its first month on sale.

However, the nature of the game has proved controversial, with critics calling it misogynistic and vulgar. The upshot is Valve pulled it from Steam a month after pushing it live.

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In a blog post, developer Eek! Games explained the title's removal is only temporary - as long as the game is modified. However, the developer doesn't seem pleased with having to tweak the game to get it back on Steam.

"I understand where Steam is coming from," reads the post. "They are responding to an alarming societal perception of sex and nudity as something evil, even more so than murder, genocide, torture, and gore which is widely accepted and prevalent in most other video games that are offered up on Steam and many other gaming platforms.

"I don't agree with Steam's decision, but I respect it. I was hoping that their allowance of the game for well over a month, during which time it has been a top seller, was indicative of Steam stepping forward and acknowledging this hypocrisy and taking a stance on it, but it seems the removal was either a case of the game falling through the cracks, or a response from the pressure of the community members who were very aggressively calling for Steam's removal of the game at the expense of those who enjoy it.

"I am most upset about the people who have bought and enjoy the game, who will now receive a 'watered down' version of the game because for some groups, it's not enough to boycott or ignore a product they don't like. They have to ensure nobody else is allowed to enjoy it also."

Those who already bought House Party will still own it and be able to play it and receive updates through Steam in the meantime.