Itch.io's NSFW Game Purge: Turns Out Even Payment Processors Have Bosses (and Bad Rules)
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Itch.io's NSFW game purge drama continues as the payment processors themselves admit to being under pressure from *their* banks, leaving Itch.io scrambling for alternative payment solutions. Turns out, everyone's got a boss, and sometimes those bosses have weird hang-ups.
Right, buckle up, mates, because the saga of Itch.io and the great NSFW game cull has taken another delightfully bizarre turn. As Rock Paper Shotgun reported, remember how Itch.io had to yank a bunch of adult-themed games to appease the payment processors? Well, guess what? It turns out those payment processors are getting the squeeze themselves. Talk about the pot calling the kettle… something saucy.
Itch.io, bless their cotton socks, has managed to re-list a bunch of *free* adult games that got caught in the initial sweep. If you’re a dev with a free NSFW masterpiece languishing in the digital void, make sure the "no payments" option is checked in your project settings. Small catch, though: any individually priced files on those pages are going to become free too. No free lunch, eh? Itch.io is looking at dashboard tweaks to fix that, so keep your eyes peeled.
Now, about those *paid* games... Itch.io is still tip-toeing around the payment processors, trying to figure out how to bring back the paid content without getting the whole platform nuked. According to Leaf Corcoran, the head honcho at Itch.io, they've had "relatively positive" chats with Stripe (you know, the $91 billion behemoth). But here's the kicker: Stripe says they can't process payments for anything "designed for sexual gratification." I mean, who *doesn't* like a little gratification, eh?
But it gets better! Stripe, apparently feeling a little guilty, passed along a message saying that *they're* getting grief from *their* banking partners! The cheek! They hope to support adult content in the future, but for now, they're stuck between a rock and a hard place. (Or maybe a keyboard and a joystick?)
So, what's Itch.io doing? Well, they're on the hunt for new payment partners who aren't so squeamish about a bit of digital sauciness. They’re defining “adult NSFW content” as anything with both the "Contains sensitive material" option checked and a tag like “porn,” “mature,” “lewd,” or… well, you get the picture. They’re even revisiting the initial list of takedowns to see if anything can be rescued, but the long-term plan is to diversify payment options to avoid putting all their eggs in one very prudish basket.
This whole debacle sounds vaguely familiar, doesn’t it? Valve is also tightening the reins on Steam, giving payment processors and ISPs more say over what's acceptable. They've even delisted some games, though not on the same scale as Itch. It's all part of some larger trend, fueled by pressure groups and… well, who knows what else?
I reckon this is about more than just prudishness. It’s about power, control, and who gets to decide what we can and can’t play. As Rock Paper Shotgun’s Edwin Evans-Thirlwell is investigating, there's definitely something fishy going on behind the scenes financially, and I for one am keen to see what he digs up. In the meantime, maybe brush up on your safe-gaming practices with Emma Kidwell's "Well This Is Awkward," as pictured in the original Rock Paper Shotgun article. You know, for… research.
Tags: indie games, NSFW, itch.io, payment processors, censorship
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun