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What happened on itch.io?
On July 24, 2025, itch.io said it had “deindexed” adult NSFW content from its browse and search pages during an audit against payment-processor requirements. The platform defines deindexing as removing a page from public discovery channels, not automatically deleting it: pages could remain available through libraries, collections and profile pages. It also warned that its review could lead to some pages being permanently removed. itch.io’s update and FAQ described the action and the review process.
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In its July 28 FAQ, itch.io said its then-current payment processors were Stripe and PayPal and that it had suspended Stripe payments for 18+ content. That means a page’s presence and a creator’s ability to accept payment were separate issues; the FAQ did not say that every adult page had been deleted or that every payment route was unavailable.
Free content began returning first
On July 31, itch.io announced that it was reindexing free adult NSFW content. It said paid content would return more slowly as it continued discussions with payment processors and introduced new content warnings. The update described a staged restoration, not a blanket reinstatement of every listing. See itch.io’s reindexing update.
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What did Steam change?
Steam’s published onboarding rules do not ban every NSFW game. They prohibit content that may violate the rules and standards of Steam’s payment processors, related card networks and banks, or internet network providers, “in particular, certain kinds of adult only content.” The same guidelines separately require adult content to be appropriately labeled and age-gated. The rule is therefore narrower than a ban on all sexual or mature material. Read the wording in Steamworks’ Rules and Guidelines.
The Guardian reported that Steam updated its rules on July 16, 2025. Its July 29 explainer said the number of games retired from Steam was unclear. A policy restricting certain content should not be mistaken for confirmation that every NSFW title was removed from sale or from users’ libraries. The Guardian’s report provides the dated account.
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Deindexed, delisted and unavailable: the difference
| Term or status | What it means here |
|---|---|
| Deindexed | Removed from public discovery such as search, browse or recommendations; a page may still be reachable through other routes. |
| Payment suspended | A creator may be unable to take payments through a particular processor, even if a page remains online. |
| Delisted or removed | The page or game has actually been taken down or is no longer available in the relevant storefront. Use this only where removal is confirmed. |
itch.io’s July 2025 announcement established a broad deindexing and review, while also allowing that some pages could be permanently removed. Its July 31 update then described a gradual return for some content. Those statements do not provide a complete list of pages removed, restored or currently discoverable.
How many games were affected?
The Guardian attributed a figure of more than 20,000 games to the newsletter Game File, describing games removed from itch.io’s NSFW category since July 16, 2025. Treat that as a reported category count, not a verified count of permanently deleted games. The Guardian said the number retired from Steam was unclear. The article does not establish a complete live inventory, and no independently verified current count for 2026 is available in the cited platform statements.
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Why did itch.io act?
itch.io said it was auditing adult pages against payment-processor requirements because its ability to process payments was critical to creators. In its July 31 update, the platform relayed Stripe’s explanation that it could not support sexually explicit content because of restrictions imposed by banking partners, while saying Stripe hoped that might change. These are itch.io’s and Stripe’s stated explanations; they do not establish the complete rules of every processor, bank or card network.
itch.io also linked the scrutiny to concerns directed to payment processors by advocacy group Collective Shout. In its account, this followed the temporary availability of the game No Mercy, which it said was banned in April 2025. That sequence is itch.io’s description of events, not an independently verified finding about every platform’s decision-making.
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What players and creators should take from it
- Do not assume a missing itch.io search result means the game was deleted; deindexing can leave other access routes intact.
- Do not assume a page being online means its creator can accept payment through every processor.
- Steam’s cited rule concerns content that may breach payment or network standards, particularly certain adult-only categories; it is not a ban on all NSFW games.
- The July 2025 announcements and reported counts describe events at that time, not the listing or payment status of a specific game in October 2026. Check the platform’s current page and applicable content labels for an individual title.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
