Steam has a less strict age rating system compared to the ratings consoles games have (remember, for example, when Balatro changed its age system from 3+ to 18+ on the Nintendo eShop, but remained unchanged on Steam).
But Valve still need to comply with local regulations. And Germany has specified that all games must have a rating system in order to be sold to consumers. That’s why, starting November 15, 2024, any game without a valid age rating on Steam will not be shown in Germany.
Steam announced this measure last March, and Today has updated that post, setting a deadline, November 15, 2024 (via @SteamDB).
Developers whose games do not have an age rating system will need to “truthfully complete Steam’s built-in content questionnaire and publish the results”.
This is a built-in system that was made mandatory in January 2020, in which publishers answer about what type of content the game have. Every game published after that would be good to go, but this law also applies to every other game in Steam, including lots of “trashgames” and some indie games.
It is important to note that the official gobernment rating system, USK, is not mandatory for Steam. Steam’s own rating system, which is easier to access, is enough, but Valve warns that filling out the questionnaire doesn’t guarantee the game will remain available in Germany: ” There are certain kinds of content that are not allowed for sale to customers in Germany.”