Itch.io Has Suspended Thousands of “NSFW” Games Without Means of Download or Preservation

If you think buying an adult game on Itch.io means getting a great deal, think again. Tumblr and Reddit users, both players and developers, have complained about these games being unfindable through the website’s search function. They also claim that one cannot download these games even if they are legally purchased. BlueSky users have corroborated these details as well.

The big question is why; on July 24, 2025, Itch.io released a statement of explanation. Credit card companies Mastercard and Visa have used their financial pull to pressure Itch.io to shadowban these games on the threat of refusing to process payments for them. Such financial pressure is common.

Change.org has a petition asking for Mastercard and Visa to stop interfering with legal purchase of these games. So does the ACLU regarding sex work in general. They also have asked for the activist group Collective Shout to mind their own business, as Collective Shout has recently enacted similar pressure on Steam. According to their Twitter posts and an open letter sent on July 11, they took credit for such changes in moderation guidelines. They believe that all adult NSFW games are pornography. So they want to remove the lot, regardless of a…