Itch.io follows Steam in removing adult games

The indie-focused open gaming marketplace Itch.io has abruptly deindexed adult content from its browse and search pages, warning that some games will be permanently removed from the platform. In a blog post on Thursday, Itch.io creator Leaf Corcoran said that the update was due to concerns that the website’s payment processors had “about the nature of certain content” hosted on the platform, following similar scrutiny against Steam.

“Our ability to process payments is critical for every creator on our platform,” said Corcoran. “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.”

While Itch.io hosts a variety of gaming content, adult and pornographic titles are often among the top-sellers on the platform. Content creators who host their work on Itch.io were given no warning ahead of the decision. “We know this is not ideal, and we apologize for the abruptness of this change,” said Corcoran. It’s unclear if customers are currently able to access games and visual novels that they had paid for prior to the update. We’ve reached out to Itch.io for clarification.

Credit card companies like Visa and Mastercard have rules that restrict some kinds of illegal and NSFW content. Steam similarly purged some adult titles last week after quietly changing its policy guidelines to ban any content that might violate rules set by the platform’s payment providers and card networks. Backlash against both gaming platforms online has likened the situation to Tumblr banning pornographic content in 2018, a decision that Matt Mullenweg, CEO of Tumblr’s parent company, Automattic, attributed to pressure from credit card companies, and is widely believed to have driven many users away from the platform.

Itch.io has yet to provide full guidance for creators that outlines the content that will be permitted on the platform following this change, but notes that creators will be required to confirm that their NSFW content abides by any rules set by their account’s payment processors. That is, of course, providing that this doesn’t cause a Tumblr-esque mass exodus of users who may now be looking for an alternative service to host, sell, and buy NSFW games.

“We are currently conducting a comprehensive audit of content to ensure we can meet the requirements of our payment processors,” said Corcoran. “Pages will remain deindexed as we complete our review. Once this review is complete, we will introduce new compliance measures.”

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