Steam and Itch.io, two major platforms for games and visual novels, have removed thousands of LGBTQ+ and adult titles in response to pressure from payment processors and an Australian anti-pornography group. The move was sparked by a call-to-action from Collective Shout, which claimed that the platforms were selling content featuring rape, incest, and child abuse.
Steam introduced a new rule banning “adult-only content” and began removing numerous adult titles from its platform. Itch followed suit, delisting tens of thousands of games categorized as NSFW. While some games can still be purchased on Itch, they are no longer discoverable through organic search results.
LGBTQ+ creators have been disproportionately affected by the removals, with many citing a lack of clarity and consistency in the platforms’ policies. Collective Shout claimed that it only targeted “rape and incest games” and those that “sexualize violence and torture of women,” but critics argue that the group’s stance is overly broad and anti-sex worker.
The move has sparked widespread backlash from gamers, developers, and advocacy groups, who argue that it infringes upon creative freedom and platform accountability. The International Game Developers Association has stated that the right to create mature games with adult content is a fundamental creative right.
As the debate continues, many are taking to social media to support their favorite creators and challenge the platforms’ new policies. A Change.org petition calling for an end to censorship of “legal fictional content” has gathered over 197,000 signatures, while users are sharing lists and bundles of Itch-deindexed titles to support their creators.
Source: https://www.them.us/story/itch-io-steam-adult-video-game-ban-delisting-lgbtq