Itch.io Faces Backlash Over Prolonged Payment Delays for Developers

A growing number of developers are speaking out about significant delays in receiving payments from itch.io, with some waiting over 100 days without compensation. The issue, initially reported by Rascal and further covered by GameDeveloper, has sparked widespread discussion on social media, including a heavily upvoted Reddit thread where developers share their experiences and frustrations with the lack of response from itch.io's support team. One developer, u/seanutsfrox, detailed their own struggles, including submitting multiple support tickets without receiving a reply, despite going to great lengths to meet itch.io's tax requirements. This developer, awaiting over $6,000, claims that over 200 developers are facing similar issues, primarily those outside the U.S. who rely on itch.io for revenue rather than using direct payment methods like Stripe or PayPal. The situation has led to damaged projects, wasted resources, and a call to action for developers to consider alternative platforms. In response, itch.io's creator, leafo, has announced refinements to the payout process and a new system for developers to query payout or tax-related issues, urging developers to use this new system instead of the community forums. This development comes on the heels of itch.io addressing scrutiny over adult content on the platform, which led to updates in its content guidelines and the deindexing of NSFW content.