Itch.io, the biggest indie video game marketplace around, took a huge step recently to limit adult and not-safe-for-work (NSFW) games. In July, the platform preemptively purged these titles from its browse and search pages amid rising public pressure from payment processors. This decision represents a significant departure from Itch.io’s long-standing content policy, which had allowed NSFW content.
The company now, and still, feels overwhelmed, facing a massive audit burden to find compliance with payment processor requirements. As part of this process, Itch.io requires creators of NSFW games to confirm that their content complies with the policies linked to their accounts. This step now secures the platform’s key payments infrastructure. This policy change helps overcome the barriers that restrictions imposed by financial services firms have created.
Itch.io’s latest adult content deindexing, which is done without prior warning to creators, has led to renewed outrage and protest within the creator community. As per the platform’s existing rules, adult content violations are irreparable and do not allow for appeal. Additionally, any money linked to accounts detected violating these regulations will go into an amount not able to be paid out.
While Itch.io used to host a wide range of NSFW games, the worsening enforcement of payment processor policies forced this unfortunate recent crackdown. The audit looks to determine which titles pass the rigorous standards imposed by payment processors. Today, thousands of creators have been left in the dark about what their future holds on the platform.
Itch.io officials stated, “To ensure that we can continue to operate and provide a marketplace for all developers, we must prioritize our relationship with our payment partners and take immediate steps towards compliance.”
Critics have raised their concerns, arguing not only that these decisions have a dangerous chilling effect on creative expression. An online Change.org petition has so far attracted more than 137,000 signatures in support. It urges payment processors such as Mastercard and Visa to reconsider their stance on adult content. The petition emphasizes the need for platforms to “stop censoring legal fictional content that complies with the law and platform standards,” and calls for a rejection of influence from activist groups promoting moral panic.
Itch.io isn’t the only platform to run into trouble over adult content and payment processors. Gumroad and OnlyFans have fought these battles as well. Under pressure from the public and/or regulators, they limited what forms of content could be posted on their platforms. In this evolving landscape, many creators feel caught between the demands of financial institutions and their right to express themselves through their work.
In an additional statement, Itch.io acknowledged that certain titles had been “temporarily available on itch.io before being banned back in April,” citing the urgency of the situation as a driving factor behind their decision-making process.
Fortunately, Itch.io is doing a lot to address these challenges. The platform does express a desire to find a solution and will potentially bring adult content back once it is able to do so in compliance. The way forward is still unclear for most NSFW game developers who today find themselves under a far greater microscope.
