Itch.io Restores Free NSFW Games Amid Payment Processor Restrictions

Itch.io, an indie gaming platform, initially delisted over 20,000 adult NSFW titles due to pressure from payment processors and conservative groups targeting content they deemed inappropriate. In response to backlash from creators and fans, Itch.io has started reindexing free NSFW content, allowing such material to become searchable again, but paid adult content remains restricted pending ongoing negotiations with payment providers. Stripe, one of Itch.io's longtime payment processors, has communicated it cannot currently support transactions for content designed for sexual gratification due to restrictions from its banking partners, though it hopes to support such content in the future. To comply with these restrictions, Itch.io has introduced new content warning systems and requires creators to mark adult content as free to be reindexed. The company is actively seeking alternative payment processors to facilitate sales of paid adult content, aiming to support a broad range of creators, including marginalized and LGBTQ+ developers, amid concerns of censorship and platform fairness. This situation reflects larger tensions between content creators, platform policies, and financial institutions impacting the availability of adult content on digital marketplaces.