A growing clash between creative freedom and financial oversight is playing out in the world of video games, as independent platforms like Itch.io and industry giants like Steam face mounting pressure to remove adult-themed content. At the heart of the issue are payment processors—companies like PayPal, Stripe, Visa, and Mastercard—whose influence has grown so significant that it’s now dictating what kinds of digital games can be sold online.
In recent weeks, dozens—possibly hundreds—of games with mature or explicit content have been deindexed or removed from storefronts. These actions, often taken without warning or explanation, have triggered alarm across the development community. The International Game Developers Association (IGDA), a global nonprofit representing game creators, has responded with an urgent call for increased transparency and fairness in content moderation.
Financial Leverage and the Campaign Behind the Pressure
The tipping point appears to have been a campaign launched by Australian advocacy group Collective Shout, which targets sexualized portrayals of women and minors in media. The group’s open letter, addressed to financial service providers, accused platforms like Steam and Itch.io of profiting from content that includes themes such as rape, incest, and sexual violence.
In response, payment processors began pressuring storefronts to purge any content deemed risky. Itch.io, in particular, moved quickly—removing adult content from its search functions and delisting games that had previously been approved, some of which featured consensual, lawful adult themes including queer and kink-positive narratives. Steam has also reportedly removed a significant number of titles, though the company has remained largely silent on the matter.
“This is a time-critical moment for itch.io,” the platform stated in a public FAQ, citing the need to maintain payment functionality for its broader creator base. “We had to act urgently to protect the platform’s core payment infrastructure.”
The decision left many developers blindsided. Some reported losing sales with no prior notice, while others feared they were being penalized for producing legal and ethical content simply because of its adult nature.
Developers Caught in the Crossfire
For game creators, especially those producing content outside mainstream tastes or from marginalized communities, the situation is dire. The IGDA has pointed out that a lack of clear moderation policies has made it nearly impossible for developers to know what is allowed and what isn’t.
“Developers report games being delisted or hidden despite prior approval or longstanding presence on these platforms,” the IGDA wrote in a statement. “The lack of transparency around enforcement criteria, sudden shifts in policy, and an absence of appeal pathways leave creators with no clear path to compliance or recourse.”
Inconsistent enforcement has become a major sticking point. While some explicitly violent or problematic games remain available for sale, others with far tamer or fully consensual adult themes have been removed. In some cases, LGBTQ+ titles have been caught in the crossfire—raising concerns that the crackdown is unintentionally (or not-so-unintentionally) targeting queer expression under the guise of policy enforcement.
A Call for Reform
To address the growing concern, the IGDA released a list of policy recommendations aimed at both platforms and their financial partners. These include:
- Publishing clear and specific content guidelines;
- Offering timely communication and explanations when actions are taken;
- Establishing appeal processes for affected developers;
- Creating advisory panels with diverse stakeholders;
- And releasing regular transparency reports.
The organization also urged storefronts to explore alternative payment providers, such as CCBill or Verotel, that specialize in handling adult transactions without the same level of restrictive oversight.
“The right to create mature games is no less valid than the right to tell stories about war, grief, or romance,” the IGDA argued. “Developers deserve clarity, consistency, and respect.”
Public Backlash Grows
The crackdown has not gone unnoticed by the broader gaming community. A Change.org petition condemning the influence of payment processors has drawn nearly 200,000 signatures. Prominent voices, including Elon Musk, have voiced support for creators, with Musk hinting at plans for an independent payment platform free from such restrictions.
“This is not just about adult games,” one petition signer wrote. “It’s about the creeping reach of corporate censorship and the silencing of marginalized voices.”
Critics of the campaign argue that while content moderation is important, especially to protect against illegal or abusive material, the current measures are overly broad and lack due process. They also warn that these types of crackdowns tend to set precedents—what starts as a purge of sexual content often extends into other controversial, yet legal, creative expressions.
What Comes Next?
Itch.io has said that many removed titles may be reinstated once it completes a review of compliance with payment partner policies. But the episode has reignited long-standing questions about who really controls the digital marketplace—and at what cost.
In a digital economy increasingly governed by third-party payment services, creators are learning that their ability to earn a living may hinge less on the quality or legality of their work and more on whether it aligns with the values and risk profiles of distant corporate boardrooms.
As the IGDA puts it, “We are at a crossroads. If financial institutions are now gatekeeping which stories can be told and sold, we must ask ourselves: whose values are we upholding—and at whose expense?”
