Digital storefronts such as Steam and Itch.io recently began removing games featuring adult or mature content. This widespread delisting followed significant pressure exerted by companies responsible for processing payments on these platforms. After a period of initial silence, Mastercard issued a statement clarifying that its recent actions are grounded in the “rule of law” and should not be interpreted as an attempt to enforce censorship.
Mastercard asserted, “Contrary to various media reports and allegations, Mastercard has not evaluated any specific game nor mandated restrictions on any activities occurring on game creator websites and platforms.” The company further explained, “Our payment network adheres to standards based on legal principles. Simply put, we facilitate all lawful purchases through our network. Simultaneously, we require merchants to implement appropriate controls to ensure that Mastercard cards cannot be utilized for illicit transactions, including illegal adult content.”
It is important to note that there has been no evidence suggesting the games removed from Steam and Itch.io contained illegal content. For a more comprehensive understanding of the situation, Wired and CBC have published detailed timelines of these events. Visa also released a pre-written response to grievances, stressing that it does not aim “to make moral judgments on legal purchases” and that its policies similarly align with legal statutes.
The pressure from payment processors reportedly originated from a campaign orchestrated by Collective Shout, an Australian anti-pornography lobbying group that has publicly claimed responsibility for these outcomes. Collective Shout released an open letter alleging that Steam and the independent game storefront Itch.io hosted games containing content related to “rape, incest, and child sexual abuse.”
Collective Shout also stated that they dispatched approximately 1,000 emails and made numerous calls to payment processors, urging them to threaten withdrawal of support from these platforms unless the contentious games were removed. However, this advocacy led to the delisting of any game featuring broadly defined adult content. Game developers report that titles with LGBTQ+ themes or content were unintentionally caught in this purge. Many have criticized the payment processors for what is perceived as an arbitrary imposition of their own — and Collective Shout`s — moral standards on what adults are permitted to purchase and play.
In the weeks since payment processors began discontinuing support for adult content transactions, several online platforms have been compelled to take drastic measures. Steam commenced purging content from its storefront and issued a vaguely worded update to its terms of service, while Itch.io also started de-indexing content from its site.
Earlier this week, Itch.io initiated the “re-indexing” of adult and `not safe for work` content, simultaneously confirming that ongoing discussions with payment processors are still in progress. Itch.io has historically utilized Stripe as its payment processor; however, Stripe will no longer support the sale of adult content on Itch.io that fits the description of “content designed for sexual gratification.”
The past few weeks have witnessed substantial backlash against payment companies, as various game organizations, developers, and artists have united in protest. The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has called for “greater transparency and fairness” in the moderation of adult games. Concurrently, other groups have encouraged individuals to exert pressure on the two primary payment processors, urging them to voice their concerns regarding perceived censorship.