Itch.io Joins Steam In Recent Push To Ban Adult Games

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Following a similar move initiated on Steam last week, the online game store Itch.io has decided to remove most of its adult and sexually explicit content. This action was mainly prompted by the advocacy efforts of the organization Collective Shout, who had also targeted Steam in their campaign.

On the evening of July 23rd, whispers about these deletions began to circulate as creators started discovering that games labeled as adult-content were being “secretly banned” on the platform, while others found their games completely removed. In the wee hours of July 24th, Itch.io issued a statement confirming the actions and explaining the reasons behind the widespread changes.

We’ve removed all NSFW (Not Safe for Work) content meant for adults from our browse and search sections. We realize that this abrupt shift might cause inconvenience and confusion, and we sincerely apologize for any disruption it may have caused in your browsing experience.

Lately, we have faced examination from our payment processors concerning the kind of content hosted on Itch.io. This scrutiny was triggered by a game called ‘No Mercy,’ which was briefly accessible on Itch.io prior to being prohibited in April. As a result, the group Collective Shout initiated a protest against Steam and Itch.io, raising issues about the nature of specific content found on both platforms with our payment processors.

In both instances, it appears that Collective Shout has been exerting pressure on the stores, specifically targeting their payment processors. Recently, they published an open letter to these businesses, alleging that they were profiting from the sale of games containing sexually explicit content.

Itch.io’s statement implies that events unfolded quickly, leaving them unable to give advance warning to impacted creators. The company is currently conducting a thorough examination of their content to ensure it adheres to terms dictated by its payment processors in the future. During this audit, previously deindexed pages will remain unavailable, and all NSFW content on the platform will require additional verification before being posted.

These modifications are a setback for Itch.io, a platform that’s gained a favorable standing among independent developers lately, known for its support of adult and queer content like games and zines. Moreover, Itch.io is recognized for its “pay what you want” system, which has allowed creators to earn more income and raise funds for charitable and humanitarian causes.

Due to significant modifications made by Itch.io, a number of creators and vocal supporters are now grappling with their future on the platform, while also planning actions to challenge payment processors over perceived unjust bans. In essence, they’re actively debating their continued presence on the platform and mobilizing against what they consider to be overly broad restrictions imposed by the payment processors.

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2025-07-24 22:10