Mastercard Says 'Not Our Fault!' in Steam & Itch.io Adult Content Kerfuffle – But Are They Dodging the Blame?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Mastercard denies pressuring Steam and Itch.io to delist adult games, but the situation remains a confusing web of blame and raises concerns about censorship in the gaming industry, sparking community action.
Right, so the plot thickens in the ongoing saga of adult games vanishing from Steam and Itch.io. According to IGN South Africa, Mastercard has come out swinging, issuing a statement claiming they haven't been strong-arming anyone into delisting adult content. Their official line? "Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations." Sounds innocent enough, doesn't it? They reckon they just follow the 'rule of law' and expect merchants to have controls in place to prevent illegal purchases.
But here's where it gets a bit murky. See, both Steam and Itch.io have recently made moves to restrict or remove adult content. Steam yanked a bunch of 'adults only' games, citing guidelines that prohibit content violating the rules of payment processors. A week later, Itch.io 'deindexed' thousands of NSFW games, blaming 'scrutiny from payment processors' after pressure from a group called Collective Shout. Collective Shout, bless their cotton socks, are on a mission to fight 'the objectification of women' – a noble cause, no doubt, but some devs feel like they're getting caught in the crossfire.
Itch.io has even shared a statement from Stripe (another payment processor), which basically passes the buck to *their* banking partners, claiming they can't support content 'designed for sexual gratification'. So, who's really pulling the strings here? It’s like trying to untangle a plate of digital spaghetti.
The real worry, though, isn't just about titillation; it's about censorship. Game devs are rightly concerned that this could be a slippery slope, leading to stricter definitions of 'forbidden' content and potentially impacting games that tackle serious themes like trauma, assault, or even LGBTQ+ issues. Are we really going to let payment processors decide what's art and what's not? I mean, blimey.
In response, some gamers are taking direct action, launching a campaign to flood the customer support lines of Visa, Mastercard, Stripe, and PayPal with demands to back off. According to IGN, it's having *some* impact – at least, call center workers are getting rather fed up. Itch.io, bless their indie souls, are actively searching for payment processors more comfortable with adult material. Valve, meanwhile, is remaining suspiciously quiet, like a wizard who knows he's about to unleash a particularly chaotic spell.
So, is Mastercard telling the truth? Maybe. Are they being entirely transparent? I reckon there is more to the story. One thing's for sure: this fight is far from over, and the future of adult content in gaming hangs in the balance. Best keep an eye on this one, mates.
Tags: adult games, censorship, Steam, Itch.io, Mastercard
Original article: IGN South Africa