Indie adult video games removed from search amid pressure

Indie game platform Itch.io has taken action against adult and not-safe-for-work (NSFW) content by removing such titles from its search and browse features.

The change, which affects how these games are discovered on the site, follows growing external pressure linked to controversial content hosted on the platform.

The move comes in response to a campaign led by Collective Shout, an advocacy group known for targeting media they view as harmful to women, including music, advertisements, and video games.

The group recently called out both Itch.io and Steam over their handling of “No Mercy,” a game that reportedly depicts sexual violence, including rape and incest.

In an open letter addressed to major financial institutions such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal, Collective Shout argued that allowing payments for such games conflicts with corporate commitments to ethical standards and the prevention of gender-based violence.

“We do not see how facilitating payment transactions and deriving financial benefit from these violent and unethical games is consistent with your corporate values,” the letter stated.

Following the outcry, both Steam and Itch.io began taking steps to ensure compliance with the standards set by their payment processors.

Steam earlier confirmed it would ban games that might violate payment platform rules.

Itch.io followed by stating, “To continue operating and supporting our developer community, we must prioritise our payment relationships and take swift compliance actions.”

Notably, the game “No Mercy,” which briefly appeared on Itch.io, had already been removed back in April.