Itch.io Restructures Adult Content Policy, Plans Gradual Reintroduction of Paid Material

Itch.io has initiated a process to reorganize its free adult content and will gradually reintroduce paid content to ensure long-term support for a diverse range of creators. The platform's creator, leafo, announced this update on August 1, stating that Itch.io is engaged in ongoing discussions with its payment processors following scrutiny over adult content. This development led to the removal of NSFW content from browse and search pages, as well as updates to the adult content guidelines to comply with payment processor terms. Itch.io is not alone in facing pressure, as Valve has also taken steps to restrict adult content on its platform. To be eligible for re-indexing, developers must make their projects available for free. Itch.io plans to introduce a new content warnings system for NSFW pages, which all page owners will be required to complete. One of Itch.io's payment processors, Stripe, has stated that it cannot currently support content designed for sexual gratification due to banking partner restrictions. However, Stripe hopes to support adult content in the future. Itch.io is exploring alternative payment processors that can accommodate adult content and will review pages with halted payments for potential reintroduction.