Itch Relists Free Adult NSFW Games After Payment Issues
▼ Summary
– Itch.io is re-indexing free adult NSFW content and discussing payment processors comfortable with such material to eventually reintroduce paid content cautiously.
– Payment processor Stripe currently cannot support sexually explicit content due to banking partner restrictions, though it hopes to do so in the future.
– Creators must mark their pages as “no payments” to be eligible for re-indexing and comply with a new content warning system for NSFW-tagged pages.
– Itch.io’s re-indexing follows last week’s deindexing of all NSFW content after discussions with payment processors influenced by an Australian pressure group.
– The platform’s actions mirror Valve’s recent removal of unspecified NSFW titles and introduction of vague adult content rules on Steam.
Itch.io is restoring free adult NSFW games to its platform while working to establish stable payment solutions for this content category. The popular indie game marketplace faces challenges processing transactions for mature material but remains committed to supporting creators in this niche.
The situation stems from payment processor Stripe enforcing restrictions on adult content, despite major credit card networks allowing properly registered sexually explicit material. While Stripe hinted at potential future policy adjustments, Itch.io must temporarily limit adult content to free downloads until alternative payment partners are secured. Developers participating in the re-listing initiative need to disable monetization options for now.
Platform administrators are simultaneously rolling out enhanced content filtering tools to better label mature projects. Games tagged with explicit terms or marked as containing sensitive material will feature more prominent warnings. Though this system remains under development, existing creators won’t face immediate penalties as the new protocols take shape.
These changes follow last week’s sudden removal of adult games after payment providers reacted to pressure from an Australian advocacy organization, the same group that previously influenced Valve’s Steam platform policies. When developers noticed their NSFW titles vanishing from search results in June, Itch.io founder Leaf Corcoran acknowledged the communication mishap and pledged to find sustainable solutions.
Valve’s unpredictable moderation of adult games created industry-wide uncertainty, making Itch.io’s current balancing act particularly crucial. The platform strives to maintain financial viability while protecting creative freedom for indie developers. Those seeking specifics about the re-listing timeline can find updated guidelines through Itch.io’s official communications.
(Source: EuroGamer)
