Following a similar situation faced by Steam just last week, the independent game platform Itch.io has also begun removing and restricting a significant portion of its adult and sexually explicit content. This decision was primarily influenced by the organization Collective Shout, the same group that previously targeted Steam, by directing concerns to payment processors used by both platforms.
The Sudden Content Crackdown
Reports of these content removals emerged late on July 23, with creators noticing that games tagged as NSFW (Not Safe For Work) were being “shadowbanned” – made unsearchable or unbrowsable – while some titles were entirely pulled. In the early hours of July 24, Itch.io issued a statement confirming the changes and explaining the circumstances.
The statement from Itch.io confirmed, “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.”
It further elaborated, “Recently, we came under scrutiny from our payment processors regarding the nature of some content hosted on Itch.io. Due to a game titled `No Mercy,` which was temporarily available on Itch.io before being banned in April, Collective Shout launched a campaign against Steam and Itch.io, raising concerns with our payment processors about certain content found on both platforms.”
Pressure from Collective Shout
In both instances, Collective Shout`s strategy appeared to involve pressuring the storefronts through their payment service providers. Earlier in the month, the group had sent an open letter to these companies, accusing them of profiting from games containing sexually abusive material.
Itch.io`s statement indicated that the “situation developed rapidly,” preventing the company from providing advance notice to affected creators. The platform is now undertaking a “comprehensive audit of content” to ensure compliance with the new terms set by its payment processors. During this audit, deindexed pages will remain so, and all future content tagged as NSFW will require additional verification.
Impact on Independent Developers and Platform Identity
These changes represent a significant setback for Itch.io, which had cultivated a strong positive reputation among independent developers as a welcoming haven for adult and queer content, including games and zines. The platform was also known for its “pay what you want” model, which empowered creators to earn more and facilitate fundraising for charitable and humanitarian causes.
In response to Itch.io`s drastic policy shifts, many creators and staunch supporters are now scrambling to reassess their future on the platform. They are also organizing efforts to push back against payment processors regarding what they perceive as unfairly broad content bans.