itch.io Removes NSFW Games from Search Following Payment Pressure, Blames Anti-Porn Group Campaign

itch.io storefront logo and banned No Mercy game. (Credit: X)

In a sudden and controversial move, indie game marketplace itch.io has quietly deindexed all games tagged with “NSFW,” “adult,” or “erotic” from its search and browsing functions. The shadowban, which went into effect earlier today, has already led to several R18 games being removed entirely from the platform—without prior notice to their developers.

The shift has left many indie devs confused and frustrated, especially since itch.io has long been known for its creator-first philosophy and inclusive approach to adult content. However, the company has now come forward with an official explanation—and it ties directly to outside pressure from payment processors.

“We have ‘deindexed’ all adult NSFW content from our browse and search pages,” itch.io wrote in a statement published on its official blog. “We understand this action is sudden and disruptive, and we are truly sorry for the frustration and confusion caused by this change.”

According to the post, the tipping point came after the controversial game No Mercy—which was temporarily hosted on the platform before being removed in April—drew the attention of Australian anti-porn organization Collective Shout. The group launched a campaign against both Steam and itch.io, bringing their concerns directly to payment processors. Facing the possibility of losing critical payment infrastructure, itch.io made the decision to “deindex” all adult NSFW content from discovery tools on the platform.

That campaign, itch.io says, threatened their ability to operate the platform and process payments for all creators. To avoid a full-scale disruption, the team moved fast—too fast, in fact, to alert developers beforehand.

“The situation developed rapidly, and we had to act urgently to protect the platform’s core payment infrastructure,” they said. “Unfortunately, this meant it was not realistic to provide creators with advance notice before making this change.”

For now, all affected adult pages remain on the site, but are hidden from search and discovery. Developers can still access their game pages through direct links. However, a deeper cleanup is underway.

“We are currently conducting a comprehensive audit of content to ensure we can meet the requirements of our payment processors,” itch.io confirmed. “Pages will remain deindexed as we complete our review.”

Once the audit is finished, new compliance rules will be introduced. This includes requiring creators to confirm that their content adheres to the policies of the payment processors linked to their account.

“For NSFW pages, this will include a new step where creators must confirm that their content is allowable under the policies of the respective payment processors,” the blog post reads.

But not all titles will survive this process. Some NSFW pages will be permanently removed, and affected users will be notified via email.

This development mirrors similar action taken by Steam just last week, where Valve delisted adult games in response to payment processing concerns. That situation also traced back to Collective Shout, a group with a long history of activism against explicit or controversial media.

Founded in 2009 by self-described “pro-life feminist” Melinda Tankard Reist, Collective Shout previously succeeded in pressuring Australian retailers to pull Grand Theft Auto V, blocking rapper Tyler the Creator from touring, and campaigning to ban games like Detroit: Become Human and No Mercy.

Their rhetoric has often sparked backlash. In the case of Steam’s recent censorship policy, the group claimed victory against what it called “porn sick brain-rotted pedo gamer fetishists,” adding fuel to a growing controversy surrounding their influence over global digital storefronts.

itch.io, which has built its reputation over the past decade as an open and inclusive platform for experimental games—including those with queer, adult, and fringe themes—is now at a crossroads. While its leadership has apologized for the abrupt rollout, it’s clear the pressure from financial partners is forcing the company to compromise on its hallmark values.

“We ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate this challenging period,” the platform concluded. “I’m sorry we cannot share more at this time as we are still getting a full understanding of the situation ourselves.”

The company says it will post further updates on its blog as the audit progresses. For now, developers of adult content on itch.io are left in limbo, waiting to see which games will make it through—and whether the platform’s indie spirit can survive increasing financial and cultural pressures.