Steam pulls Tax Heaven 3000, a viral ‘visual novel’ that helps you understand taxes

Can a video game teach you how to file taxes? That’s what it’s meant to do Tax Heaven 3000, the latest project from the small independent studio MSCHF. This new title looks like a visual novelbut in reality what is hidden inside is a tool to present the equivalent of the income statement in the United States.

Apparently the US taxes are so complicated to understand that taxpayers often have to contract the services of external companies to carry out the annual statement. MSCHF wanted to lend a hand to those who can’t afford it and has prepared a video game that really serves to file taxes: if you enter your financial data in Tax Heaven 3000the game will return the data that you have to enter in the declaration.

Steam has removed this game from its store.

Tax Heaven 3000 It was going to be released on PC next April 4, through both Steam and icth.io. However, Steam version is no longer available. Those responsible for the project have spoken with The Verge to ensure that Valve, responsible for the digital store, has not communicated the reason for this withdrawal. They ensure that Tax Heaven 3000 He passed the preliminary controls that Steam carries out and that was later when they saw that the game tab was removed.

In any case, Tax Heaven 3000 it will continue to be available to anyone who wishes to purchase it via itch.io starting next April 4. Those who fill in their financial information in this video game, including social security number and specific data of their annual performance, will be able to download the results to present them directly to the corresponding administration. maybe the personal data request so specific has had something to do with its withdrawal from Steam, although the reason is really unknown.