Payment Companies Face Backlash Over Game Removals
Major payment processors like Visa, Mastercard, and Stripe are under fire, including criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, for pressuring online gaming platforms to eliminate numerous games due to a campaign launched by an Australian anti-pornography group.
Itch.io’s Swift Action
Last week, Itch.io, an independent gaming platform, hastily removed all adult and not-safe-for-work (NSFW) games from its library to avoid payment disruptions across its services. The platform acknowledged it was responding to demands from payment providers “to ensure we can continue to operate and provide a marketplace for all developers.”
Pressure from Collective Shout
This decision followed an open letter from Collective Shout, an Australian group advocating against the sexualization of women and girls. The group requested payment providers to stop supporting platforms like Steam and Itch.io, claiming hundreds of games contained disturbing content, including instances of sexual assault.
Impact of the Changes
Itch.io’s rapid compliance led to the removal of all NSFW content from visibility on the platform, not just the specific games highlighted by Collective Shout. Many titles were also entirely taken down, affecting users who reported being unable to access games they had already purchased, a claim Itch.io denied.
Collective Shout’s Broader Goals
Collective Shout has long pushed for mandatory internet filtering in Australia to block access to adult content. Their recent success against gaming platforms has attracted significant international attention. A petition urging payment processors to relinquish control over available content has gathered over 147,000 signatures, arguing that no one should dictate what others can enjoy legally.
Future of NSFW Content
While Collective Shout only targeted games they deemed inappropriate, Itch.io’s broad removal of NSFW content inadvertently affected LGBTQ+ titles. The director of Collective Shout noted that the campaign’s ultimate aim was not to eliminate all NSFW games permanently, as Itch.io plans to restore many after a review process to comply with payment processor policies.
Comments from Payment Companies
Visa and Mastercard were approached for comments, while Steam did not respond. PayPal, however, stated that it maintains a zero-tolerance policy against illegal activity on its platform, emphasizing its commitment to user safety.
