Itch.io Delists NSFW Games, Indicates Guidelines from Payment Processors

After similar proceedings on Steam, indie game storefront itch.io now begins delisting adult games. Founder Leaf Corcoran lays open that the site has been urged by payment processors to do so. A new content creator guideline will be implemented in the near future that follows the demanded standards.

Several developers of adult games have reported that the indie game storefront itch.io has now begun banning specific games with erotic content. The process mirrors the one that happened on Steam due to pressure by payment processors and credit card companies, a process which now delisted, but archived reporting on Waypoint linked to an Australian lobbyist group.

Indie adult game developers have noticed that specific titles with explicit sexual depictions have been taken down on itch.io, including a freeze on revenue payouts for these titles. US creators also report a shadow ban on search categories like ‘adult’ and ‘NSFW’ like it has already been in effect in Germany.

itch.io has commented on the proceedings, confirming the suspicions of developers. "We have “deindexed” all adult NSFW content from our browse and search pages. We understand this action is sudden and disruptive, and we are truly sorry for the frustration and confusion caused by this change. Recently, we came under scrutiny from our payment processors regarding the nature of some content hosted on itch.io", Leaf Corcoran, creator of itch.io stated in an update on NSFW content. "Our ability to process payments is critical for every creator on our platform. 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.

This is a time critical moment for itch.io. The situation developed rapidly, and we had to act urgently to protect the platform’s core payment infrastructure. Unfortunately, this meant it was not realistic to provide creators with advance notice before making this change. We know this is not ideal, and we apologize for the abruptness of this change."

Itch.io is also announcing new creator guidelines for NSFW content coming in the future. The guidelines will bend to the rules of payment processor companies, Corcoran admits: "We are currently conducting a comprehensive audit of content to ensure we can meet the requirements of our payment processors. Pages will remain deindexed as we complete our review. Once this review is complete, we will introduce new compliance measures. For NSFW pages, this will include a new step where creators must confirm that their content is allowable under the policies of the respective payment processors linked to their account."

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