Consumer Rights Wiki

Itch.io: Difference between revisions

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|InProduction=Yes
|InProduction=Yes
|ArticleType=Service
|ArticleType=Service
|Category=Digital storefront, Video games
|Category=Digital storefront, Video games, Video game assets and Game Dev tools
|Logo=Itch.io.svg
|Logo=Itch.io logo.svg
|Website=https://itch.io
|Website=https://itch.io
|Description=Online digital distributor mainly for games.  
|Description=Online digital distributor for Video games, Video game assets and Game dev tools.  
}}
}}


[[wikipedia:Itch.io|itch.io]] is a website used to find and share video games made by independent developers online.
'''{{Wplink|Itch.io}}''' is a website used to find and share video games made by independent developers online.


==Consumer impact summary==
==Consumer impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}


{{Placeholder box|Overview of concerns that arise from the company's conduct regarding (if applicable):
*'''User freedom:''' Itch.io does not add [[Digital rights management|DRM]] to the games sold on its platform.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |author= |title=Creator FAQ |url=https://itch.io/docs/creators/faq |website=Itch.io |date= |access-date=13 Aug 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260217102631/https://itch.io/docs/creators/faq |archive-date=17 Feb 2026}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |author=questionman1 |title=Are games from itch.io DRM free? |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/850uea/are_games_from_itchio_drm_free/ |website=[[Reddit]] |date=17 Mar 2018 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260222222459/https://old.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/850uea/are_games_from_itchio_drm_free/ |archive-date=22 Feb 2026}}</ref>
* User Freedom
* User Privacy
* Business Model
* Market Control}}'''User freedom'''


*Itch.io does not add [[Digital rights management|DRM]] to the games sold on its platform.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Creator FAQ |url=https://itch.io/docs/creators/faq |url-status=live |access-date=13 Aug 2025 |website=Itch.io |at=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=16 Mar 2018 |title=Are games from itch.io DRM free? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/850uea/are_games_from_itchio_drm_free/ |url-status=live |access-date=13 Aug 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref>
*'''Business model:''' Itch.io relies on "open revenue sharing" which sends to itch.io a percentage of the transaction chosen accordingly by the creator (default 10%).<ref>{{Cite web |author= |title=Introducing open revenue sharing |url=https://www.tumblr.com/itchio/112709605589/introducing-open-revenue-sharing |website=[[Tumblr]] |date=October 2013 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250724062608/https://www.tumblr.com/itchio/112709605589/introducing-open-revenue-sharing |archive-date=24 Jul 2025}}</ref><ref name=":0" />
 
'''Business model'''
*Itch.io relies on "open revenue sharing" which sends to itch.io a percentage of the transaction chosen accordingly by the creator (default 10%).<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 2013 |title=Introducing open revenue sharing |url=https://www.tumblr.com/itchio/112709605589/introducing-open-revenue-sharing |website=Tumblr}}</ref><ref name=":0" />


==Incidents==
==Incidents==
===Oxenfree video game removed from platform (''2024'')===
On 9 September 2024, itch.io de-listed ''{{Wplink|Oxenfree}}'' and warned users who had purchased it on itch.io that the game was going to be pulled from the platform entirely on 1 October 2024. Customers would not be able to download the installer files after that date — meaning they would lose access unless they had a backup of the game. Users speculated that [[Netflix]] (the parent company of the development studio) had ordered the move. However, no response from Netflix or the developers of the game was ever published. This is particularly notable because it violates itch.io's terms of service: "Users shall retain a license to this content even after the content is removed from the Service."<ref>{{Cite web |author=ShawnS |title=OXENFREE |url=https://delistedgames.com/oxenfree/ |website=Delisted Games |date=31 Jan 2025 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321070400/https://delistedgames.com/oxenfree/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Colp |first=Tyler |title=Another reminder that your digital library isn't forever: Oxenfree will be completely removed from Itch.io next month |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/another-reminder-that-your-digital-library-isn-t-forever-oxenfree-will-be-completely-removed-from-itch-io-next-month/ |website=PC Gamer |date=9 Sep 2024 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523111125/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/another-reminder-that-your-digital-library-isn-t-forever-oxenfree-will-be-completely-removed-from-itch-io-next-month/ |archive-date=23 May 2025}}</ref>


===Oxenfree incident===
===De-indexing of adult games from campaign pressure (''2025'')===
On September 9th, 2024, users who purchased "Oxenfree" on itch.io, were warned that the game was going to be pulled from the platform on October 1st and consumers would not be able to download the installers after this date. So they would lose access unless they had a backup of the game. Users speculated that [[Netflix]] (the parent company of the development studio) had ordered the move. However, no response from Netflix or the developers of the game was ever published. This is particularly notable because it violates itch.io's terms of service: "Users shall retain a license to this content even after the content is removed from the Service." <ref>{{Cite web |last=ShawnS |date=31 Jan 2025 |title=OXENFREE |url=https://delistedgames.com/oxenfree/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250321070400/https://delistedgames.com/oxenfree/ |archive-date=21 Mar 2025 |access-date=27 Jun 2025 |website=Delisted Games}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Colp |first=Tyler |date=9 Sep 2024 |title=Another reminder that your digital library isn't forever: Oxenfree will be completely removed from Itch.io next month |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/another-reminder-that-your-digital-library-isn-t-forever-oxenfree-will-be-completely-removed-from-itch-io-next-month/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250523111125/https://www.pcgamer.com/games/adventure/another-reminder-that-your-digital-library-isn-t-forever-oxenfree-will-be-completely-removed-from-itch-io-next-month/ |archive-date=23 May 2025 |access-date=27 Jun 2025 |website=PC Gamer}}</ref>
{{Main|Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam}}


===De-indexing of adult games from campaign pressure===
On 11 July 2025, [[Collective Shout]] issued an open statement demanding credit card payments to immediately cease processing "payments on [[Steam]] and itch.io". The reasoning for the statement by Collective Shout was because of a video game on [[itch.io]] called ''No Mercy'' (released earlier that year), which featured hard-core adult content.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Bita |first=Natasha |title=Child safety group finds 500 online 'games' role-playing rape and incest |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/education/child-safety-group-finds-500-online-games-roleplaying-rape-and-incest/news-story/b30c59f85ff22934844269cb3beff538 |url-access=subscription |website=The Australian |date=15 July 2025 |access-date=18 July 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/koDk8 |archive-date=18 July 2025}}<!-- Unfortunately the Archive.today link is the only viable archive capture. --></ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite web |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |title=Anti-porn group who tried to ban GTA 5 claim credit for Steam's sex game crackdown |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/anti-porn-group-who-tried-to-ban-gta-5-claim-credit-for-steams-sex-game-crackdown |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |date=22 July 2025 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251229024622/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/anti-porn-group-who-tried-to-ban-gta-5-claim-credit-for-steams-sex-game-crackdown |archive-date=29 Dec 2025}}</ref> A few days later, itch.io responded by de-listing adult content in search results.<ref>{{Cite web |author=leafo |title=Update on NSFW content |url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content |website=Itch.io |date=24 Jul 2025 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250801063946/https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content |archive-date=1 Aug 2025}}</ref> On 31 July 2025, itch.io re-indexed all free NSFW games but with a new "content warning" tag for games with NSFW in them.<ref>{{Cite web |author=leafo |title=Reindexing adult NSFW content |url=https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content |website=Itch.io |date=31 Jul 2025 |access-date=27 Feb 2026 |url-status=live |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250801014446/https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content |archive-date=1 Aug 2025}}</ref>


:Main article: [[Valve allows ISPs and payment processors to censor content on Steam]]
==References==
 
{{Reflist}}
On July 11, 2025, [[Collective Shout]] issued an open statement demanding credit card payments to immediately cease processing "payments on [[Steam]] and [https://itch.io/ itch.io]". The reasoning for statement by [[Collective Shout]] was because of a game on [[itch.io]] called "''No Mercy''", which featured hardcore NSFW content. <ref name=":02">{{Cite news |last=Bita |first=Natasha |date=15 July 2025 |title=Child safety group finds 500 online 'games' role-playing rape and incest |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/education/child-safety-group-finds-500-online-games-roleplaying-rape-and-incest/news-story/b30c59f85ff22934844269cb3beff538 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.ph/koDk8 |archive-date=18 July 2025 |access-date=18 July 2025 |work=The Australian}}</ref><ref name="RPSCS">{{Cite news |last=Evans-Thirlwell |first=Edwin |date=22 July 2025 |title=Anti-porn group who tried to ban GTA 5 claim credit for Steam's sex game crackdown |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/anti-porn-group-who-tried-to-ban-gta-5-claim-credit-for-steams-sex-game-crackdown |access-date=23 July 2025 |work=Rock Paper Shotgun}}</ref> A few days later, itch.io responded by delisting adult content in search results.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content|title=Update on NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-24}}</ref> On July 31 itch.io re-indexed all free NSFW games but with a new "content warning" tag for games with NSFW in them.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itch.io/t/5149036/reindexing-adult-nsfw-content|title=Reindexing adult NSFW content|website=Itch.io|date=2025-07-31}}</ref>


==References==
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Services]]
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