Steam and itch.io Game De-indexing: Difference between revisions
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===Background=== | ===Background=== | ||
*In April 2025, the game ''No Mercy'' (described by critics as a 'rape simulator', but by its developer as a 'choice-driven adult visual novel') was briefly available on ''Steam'' and ''itch.io'' before being removed. This game attracted the attention of [[Collective Shout]], an Australian anti-pornography advocacy group, which launched a campaign against both platforms.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=leafo@moonscript |date=July 24, 2025 |title=Update on NSFW Content |url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content |archive-url= |archive-date= |website=itch.io }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=July 29, 2025 |title=Why did thousands of adult titles just disappear from the biggest PC gaming marketplaces? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jul/29/why-did-adult-titles-disappear-from-steam-itch-pc-gaming-payment-processors |archive-url=https://archive.ph/HsTl1 |archive-date=August 2, 2025 |website=theguardian.com }}</ref> | *In April 2025, the game ''No Mercy'' (described by critics as a 'rape simulator', but by its developer as a 'choice-driven adult visual novel') was briefly available on ''Steam'' and ''itch.io'' before being removed. This game attracted the attention of [[Collective Shout]], an Australian anti-pornography advocacy group, which launched a campaign against both platforms.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=leafo@moonscript |date=July 24, 2025 |title=Update on NSFW Content |url=https://itch.io/updates/update-on-nsfw-content |archive-url= |archive-date= |website=itch.io }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Lane |first=Rick |date=July 29, 2025 |title=Why did thousands of adult titles just disappear from the biggest PC gaming marketplaces? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/jul/29/why-did-adult-titles-disappear-from-steam-itch-pc-gaming-payment-processors |archive-url=https://archive.ph/HsTl1 |archive-date=August 2, 2025 |website=theguardian.com }}</ref> | ||
*''[[Collective Shout]]'', known for campaigning against the 'sexualization of women and girls', sent an open letter to payment processors including ''PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, Discover'', and ''JCB'' on July 11, 2025. The letter accused ''Steam'' and ''itch.io'' of hosting games depicting 'rape, incest, and child sexual abuse' and urged payment processors to cease services for these platforms.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Josh |date=July 28, 2025 |title=Mastercard and Visa face backlash after hundreds of adult games removed from online stores Steam and Itch.io |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/29/mastercard-visa-backlash-adult-games-removed-online-stores-steam-itchio-ntwnfb |archive-url=https://archive.ph/bAK9l |archive-date=August 1, 2025 |website=theguardian.com }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title= |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/itchio-has-deindexed-all-adult-nsfw-content-following-scrutiny-from-payment-processors |archive-url= |archive-date= |website= | *''[[Collective Shout]]'', known for campaigning against the 'sexualization of women and girls', sent an open letter to payment processors including ''PayPal, MasterCard, Visa, Discover'', and ''JCB'' on July 11, 2025. The letter accused ''Steam'' and ''itch.io'' of hosting games depicting 'rape, incest, and child sexual abuse' and urged payment processors to cease services for these platforms.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Josh |date=July 28, 2025 |title=Mastercard and Visa face backlash after hundreds of adult games removed from online stores Steam and Itch.io |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/29/mastercard-visa-backlash-adult-games-removed-online-stores-steam-itchio-ntwnfb |archive-url=https://archive.ph/bAK9l |archive-date=August 1, 2025 |website=theguardian.com }}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Hood |first=Vic |date=July 24, 2025 |title=Itch.io has "deindexed" all adult NSFW content following "scrutiny" from payment processors |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/itchio-has-deindexed-all-adult-nsfw-content-following-scrutiny-from-payment-processors |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250826174246/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/itchio-has-deindexed-all-adult-nsfw-content-following-scrutiny-from-payment-processors |archive-date=August 26, 2025 |website=gameindustry.biz }}</ref> | ||
*Both ''Steam'' and ''itch.io'' responded by removing or de-indexing content, but their approaches differed. Valve (Steam's parent company) selectively removed games, while ''itch.io'' implemented a blanket de-indexing of all NSFW-tagged content, affecting over 20,000 games and other media.<ref name=":2"></ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title= |url=https://www.theverge.com/games/715299/itchio-games-delisting-payment-processor-paypal |archive-url= |archive-date= |website=theverge.com }}</ref> | *Both ''Steam'' and ''itch.io'' responded by removing or de-indexing content, but their approaches differed. Valve (Steam's parent company) selectively removed games, while ''itch.io'' implemented a blanket de-indexing of all NSFW-tagged content, affecting over 20,000 games and other media.<ref name=":2"></ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Parrish |first=Ash |date=July 29, 2025 |title=The chaos and confusion of itch.io and Steam’s abrupt adult game ban |url=https://www.theverge.com/games/715299/itchio-games-delisting-payment-processor-paypal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250906233112/https://www.theverge.com/games/715299/itchio-games-delisting-payment-processor-paypal |archive-date=September 6, 2025 |website=theverge.com }}</ref> | ||
===Platform responses=== | ===Platform responses=== | ||