Unlike Steam, however, which targeted a relatively small number of adult games with tags that lean more toward the weird and, frankly, disgusting side – SA and Sweet Home Alabama, iykwim – Itch.io’s ban was far less selective, hiding literally thousands of titles, as shown in the screenshots above. Some games, as noted by their developers, weren’t just shadowbanned but banned outright, including titles with no sexual content whatsoever, suggesting that Itch.io may have acted in a panic and might be just as confused about the situation as the rest of us.
With the situation unfolding as we speak, it’s too early to tell what will happen with NSFW games on Itch.io. As the panic settles, the platform will likely reinstate most of the hidden titles and unban those that were removed without reason, but for now, the marketplace remains pure enough to become a nun.
One thing is certain, though, no matter what Itch.io – or Steam, for that matter – do next, the grip of a powerful third party over the gaming industry has tightened today, raising a troubling concern that this kind of censorship could someday extend beyond adult content to anything else payment processors or activist groups decide they don’t like.
Don’t forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
