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If you play video games on PC, odds are you use Steam as your primary gaming platform. The digital distribution behemoth delivers global entertainment, with PC games that span all genres and demographics. This includes a massive catalog of thoroughly not-safe-for-work (NSFW) games, which may pique the interest of curious rascals itching to see a little digital skin. Naturally, you may wish to hide your gaming eccentricities from family and friends, and save yourself from embarrassing questions down the line. So, whether you’re into lewd gacha games like Action Taimanin, controversial horror like The Coffin of Andy and Leyley, or something thoroughly hard-core like Honey Select 2: Libido Deluxe, we’ll show you how to hide what you’re playing on Steam.
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Steam Is a Lewd Gaming SanctuaryBut first some backstory. Steam isn’t just a haven for PC gamers the world over; it’s a hotspot for NSFW and even outright sexual video game content. In 2015, Hatred—an ultraviolent twin-stick shooter—arrived as Steam’s first Adults Only (AO) title, and it emboldened developers to push boundaries. At the time, Valve carefully reviewed games to give them the green light into the store, but adult-oriented games slowly began to trickle through. This culminated in a Steam Community blog post in June 2018, where Valve announced that it would allow pretty much any game on Steam, so long as the content was not illegal or trolling. The Adults Only search category and numerous user-defined NSFW tags helped create a platform with a growing library of ultra-mature games that span every genre.
(Credit: Valve, PCMag)
How to Set Up Steam’s Invisible ModeThe simplest way to hide what you’re playing is to set your Steam account’s online status to Invisible. This setting is accessible from the Friends and Chat menu, and it hides your status from everyone while active. Follow these steps to do it.Open Steam and click the Friends and Chat icon.Click your name to open the drop-down menu. Select Invisible to hide your online status.Now, you’ll appear offline, but can still chat with buddies. The downside with this solution is that your friends won’t know when you’re available for a gaming invitation unless you tell them via chat. However, you can sidestep this issue by hiding your gaming activities with our next tip.
(Credit: Valve)
How to Edit Your Steam Profile’s Privacy SettingsThis alternate solution allows you to hide your gaming activities rather than masking your online status. In doing so, you remain visible online, but no one can see what you’re playing. You just need to make some changes to your Steam’s privacy settings.
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Open Steam, navigate to your username at the top of the screen, and select View Profile from the drop-down menu.Click the Edit Profile button.You should see several descending tabs with profile information. Click Privacy Settings.Mouse over the Game Details and select Private. The Game Details section lists your purchased Steam games, titles in your wish list, achievements, and playtime. More importantly, it determines whether you’re seen as “in-game” in the Friends and Chat windows (it also displays the title of the game you’re playing). When set to Private, you’ll see a dashed-through eye icon next to your username in Friends and Chat. That means your account is ready for private, guilt-free debauchery.
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How to Keep Friends’ Statuses PrivateYou can spread the privacy love to your buddies by adjusting your Friends List in Privacy Settings. Friends List controls who can see your comrades via the Steam Community page. Here’s how to do it.Open Steam, navigate to your username at the top of the screen, and select View Profile from the drop-down menu.Click the Edit Profile button.You should see several descending tabs with profile information. Click Privacy Settings.Mouse over the Game Details. Choose either Friends Only or Private. That’s it! For more PC game reviews and previews, check out PCMag’s Steam Curator page. And for in-depth video game talk, visit PCMag’s Pop-Off YouTube channel.
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