The platform is under pressure from payment providers to remove NSFW content and is now scrambling to find alternatives as its limited size hampers its ability to resist.

Itch.io has come under fire after payment processors allegedly acted on the complaints of anti-porn groups like Collective Shout and demanded the site moderate or remove NSFW content. As part of its compliance efforts, Itch has deindexed numerous adult-themed or suggestive games. This includes not only explicit titles but also those tackling mature or subversive themes.

In a recent FAQ addendum, Itch clarified it is working to resolve the issue quickly while actively seeking payment partners who won’t back down at the first sign of coordinated activist pressure. Compared to more structured platforms like Valve’s Steam, Itch.io operates with less regulation and far less bargaining power, making its response less cohesive and more vulnerable.

“Our ability to push back is limited”

“The situation is evolving as we await final determinations from our current payment processors, Stripe and PayPal. There are still unknowns that prevent us from providing a fixed timeline. We are actively reaching out to other payment processors that are more willing to work with this kind of content. We have suspended the ability to pay with Stripe for 18+ content for the foreseeable future. Our immediate focus has been on content classification reviews and implementing stricter age-gating on the site,” the company wrote.

With over two million product pages, user tagging alone wasn’t sufficient for filtering. As a small company with low transaction volume, Itch lacks the capacity to withstand pressure like Steam could. “Losing PayPal, for example, would prevent us from sending payouts to many people. Our actions were taken to protect our payment processing abilities for as much of the platform as possible.”

Not censorship, but damage control?

The site also addressed misconceptions. Most removed content was part of normal enforcement, and many flagged games still appear in the libraries of those who purchased them—unless the developer removed them. Payment processing holds apply only to malicious users who violated terms and tried to exploit the platform.

Itch.io reiterated its strict zero-tolerance policy for any content involving minors or real-world imagery. These recent steps, it says, are necessary exceptions—not a signal of intent to withhold revenue from honest creators. Protecting relationships with Stripe and PayPal is key to continuing reliable payouts for developers.

Source: PCGamer, Itch.io