After the Netflix drama Adolescence offered a haunting depiction of how easily young men can be corroded by misogyny and the manosphere, incel communities have been pushed to the forefront of cultural and political conversations. At the centre is the urgent question: how do we reeducate men in a culture that has normalised and glorified violence against women and girls?

It’s a mammoth task, especially given how deeply sexism is embedded in our society, in addition to how easily cultural fragments of the manosphere—remarks, jokes, expressions—are disseminated across the internet. Often, these ideas become so widespread and far removed from their source that kids repeat them without any idea where they came from.

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my jaw was on the floor when he said “other boys would have touched her I didn’t so I’m better than them” #adolescence #netflixseries #foryoupage

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And yet, every now and then, we come across content so vile, so disturbing, that the only thing more shocking is how openly it’s been hiding in plain sight: Zerat Games’ new release No Mercy has sparked significant backlash for allowing players to take on the role of a man who rapes his female family members.

Platforming r*pe content makes @valvesoftware + @Steam complicit. Geo blocking any number of countries is not an adequate response. This ‘game’ must be removed completely.

Email them here 👉🏻 https://t.co/EvYQHCRy3x via @CollectiveShout pic.twitter.com/IHIe4ZUzHk

— Renee K. Chopping (@reneechopping) April 8, 2025

Even more alarming is the fact that the game is available on platforms accessible for ages 12 and over, fuelling urgent concerns about the amount of harmful content online accessible to young boys that could lower their aversion to violent crimes.

“After catching your own mother betraying your father, you uncovered the true nature of women, especially her. But she’s no ordinary housewife: she’s hiding a dark secret that’s haunted her for years. Now, it’s your turn to uncover it, blackmail her, expose her, and rebuild your family on your terms. Own her,” the description for the game reads.

It continues: “Fuck your mom, fuck your auntie, and even fuck your friend’s mom. Why not? Already a fan favorite in the NSFW Game Incest community. Take what’s yours and show No Mercy.”

Next to incest and non-consensual sex, also known as rape, the game features gang rape options: “If you want a sharing scene, cover her eyes with blindfold and let Tommy join in.”

One notorious porn and gaming website promoting the game uses the markers “big tits,” “family sex,” “forced,” “humiliation,” and “mother-son,” reflecting rhetoric that is both objectifying and degrading.

Although the game is designated as 18+, there seemingly aren’t any barriers preventing children from accessing it, along with its pornographic and already highly disturbing trailer.

The game can be found on multiple platforms catering to twelve and over audiences.

Anti-sexploitation advocacy group Collective Shout launched a campaign against No Mercy and called on video game developer Valve, owner of Steam, to remove it from all platforms. Additionally, Collective Shout is committed to persuading Valve to no longer host games promoting rape and violence against women.

The non-profit argued that content like it is fuelled by attitudes of contempt for women and a sense of entitlement to their bodies.

“In a porn-saturated world, No Mercy is yet another form of media marketed to young men and boys that serves to fuel entitlement, destroy empathy and promote dominance and abuse,” Collective Shout argued.

In 2019, the charity led a similar campaign to get the game Rape Day removed by Valve, which allowed players to assume the identity of a sociopath using a Zombie apocalypse as an opportunity to rape women.

Women In Games, a non-profit organisation fighting gender discrimination in video, mobile, online games and Esports, reached out to SCREENSHOT to share its shock about the creation and proliferation of No Mercy.

“The fact that a game like this is available on Steam—one of the world’s largest gaming platforms—is utterly unacceptable. It sends a clear and distressing message: that violence against women is not only tolerable but playable. That message has no place in our industry, our communities, or our society,” Chief Executive Dr Marie-Claire Isaaman stated.

“This is exactly why Women in Games exists. Our mission is to challenge the harmful biases, systemic barriers, and cultural toxicity that continue to drive women and marginalised genders out of games—whether as players, developers, or leaders,” she continued.

“We call on Valve Corporation, the owners of Steam, to act urgently. This game must be removed. Stronger content moderation policies must be implemented. And a zero-tolerance stance on misogyny and hate must be visibly enforced. Women and girls deserve better from this industry. We invite all allies to stand with us—to speak up, act, and support the future of a safe and inclusive gaming world,” Isaaman concluded.

If Adolescence showed us where radicalisation ends, No Mercy shows us where it begins — in plain sight, and too easily in reach. It’s proof we still haven’t grasped how quickly online rot becomes real-world harm.