IGDA Statement on the Censorship and Delisting of Games

June 29, 2025

The IGDA is calling for greater transparency and fairness in how adult games are moderated and actioned across major platforms. We are alarmed by the vague enforcement of policies delisting and deplatforming legal, consensual, and ethically-developed games, especially from LGBTQ+ and marginalized creators. Developers deserve clear rules, fair warnings, and the right to appeal. 

To be clear, the IGDA is advocating for reform, developer voice, and platform accountability, not for the defense of harmful material. 

The IGDA is gathering anonymized data to assess the real impact of recent content removals and will use this to inform our advocacy on behalf of affected developers.

Full statement below.

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is seriously alarmed by the recent wave of game delistings, deindexing, and payment disruptions targeting adult-themed titles on platforms such as Steam and Itch.io. Reports suggest these actions have been taken with little to no communication and have disproportionately harmed developers producing legal, consensual, and ethically-developed content, including creators from marginalized communities.

Nuance in Game Content & Adult Themes

Platforms have long had terms of service restricting content such as non-consensual acts, rape, incest, and material that violates payment processor guidelines. The concern today is not the existence of these rules, but rather that their enforcement is adversely impacting games that do not actually violate these restrictions, often without warning or explanation.

Developers report games being delisted or hidden despite prior approval or longstanding presence on these platforms. The lack of transparency around enforcement criteria, sudden shifts in policy, and an absence of appeal pathways leave creators with no clear path to compliance or recourse.

Games that feature consensual adult content, including queer, kink-positive, or romantic narratives, are easily targeted under vague or overly cautious enforcement, often forcing developers into silence or self-censorship because platforms fear perceived risks associated with hosting legal adult content.

Further reports suggest that recent policy changes are driven in large part by pressure from payment processors like Visa, Mastercard, and others, who may threaten to withhold payment processing services from platforms hosting adult content. As a result, financial institutions are now influencing which stories can be told and sold in games, with minimal transparency or public accountability.

Impact on Developers

Censorship like this is materially harmful to game developers in a number of ways, with implications including:

• Loss of income: Delistings strip developers of visibility and revenue, often cutting off their primary source of income.
• Lack of notice or explanation: Many developers receive no advance warning or rationale for enforcement, and no opportunity to revise or appeal.
• Misidentification of content: Consensual, legal adult games are being flagged or removed simply for being explicit.
• Reputational harm: Removals without context can suggest wrongdoing, damaging careers and credibility.
• Creative suppression: Developers may preemptively self-censor or abandon projects out of fear of removal.
• Disproportionate impact on marginalized voices: Queer, trans, femme-identifying, and POC developers may be disproportionately affected by overreaching censorship.

IGDA’s Position

To be clear, the IGDA does not condone or support content that promotes or fetishizes sexual violence, non-consensual sexual acts, or the sexualization of minors. These forms of content are incompatible with IGDA’s values and the ethical standards of responsible game development.

Our advocacy focuses specifically on developers creating consensual, lawful, and ethically-developed games, and we support clear, consistent content policies, not vague or overly broad censorship.

Games, like any medium of artistic expression, can explore themes of intimacy, pleasure, trauma, or identity. When created ethically and distributed legally, these works deserve to be evaluated fairly, transparently, and contextually, not swept aside due to stigma or third-party pressure. Many of these same games already follow established rating systems and content warnings, including ESRB and international equivalents. Developers are using existing tools to clearly communicate content, set expectations, and responsibly age-gate their work. The issue is not a lack of safeguards, but a lack of proportionate, informed, and transparent enforcement.

Policy Recommendations

Without clear and fair enforcement, platforms risk losing developer trust, driving creators toward gray-market distribution where both creators and consumers face greater risk.

We urge platforms and processors to consider the following policy reforms:

• Publish clear, detailed guidelines that distinguish prohibited content from lawful adult expression.
• Provide timely communication and specific reasons when enforcement actions are taken.
• Offer structured appeals and revision pathways for developers.
• Form advisory panels with legal experts, marginalized creators, and trust & safety professionals.
• Release regular transparency reports documenting enforcement actions.

Game platforms should also consider alternatives to overly risk-averse financial partners, including adult-industry-compliant processors such as:

• Verotel
• CCBill
• Other vetted services suited for legal adult content

Resources for Developers

We encourage affected developers to explore the following resources:

• EFF: Free Speech & Adult Content
• Woodhull Freedom Foundation
• Free Speech Coalition

Consider supporting online petitions if they align with your advocacy stance:

• Tell MasterCard, Visa & Activist Groups: Stop Controlling What We Can Watch, Read, or Play
• Mastercard: Sex Work is Work. End Your Unjust Policy

The IGDA has also launched a short anonymous form to gather experiences from affected developers. This information will guide future action.

Our Call to Action

We urge platforms, payment processors, and industry leaders to engage in dialogue with developers and advocacy organizations. We welcome collaboration and transparency. This issue is not just about adult content. It is about developer rights, artistic freedom, and the sustainability of diverse creative work in games.

Furthermore, we call on peer organizations and publishers to stand with us in protecting ethical creators from harmful overreach.

Communicate your concerns of financial censorship and make your voice heard.

• Visa
  • Email askvisa@visa.com
  • Call Visa at 1-800-847-2911
  • Website: visa.com/contact-us.html
• Mastercard
  • Email customer_support@mastercard.com
  • Call Mastercard’s international number:1-800-999-0363 (US); 1-636-722-6176 (International)
  • Website: https://www.mastercard.com/us/en/personal/get-support.html

Globally and politically, we are at a crossroads for developer rights, creative freedom, and platform accountability. The right to make mature games with legal adult content is a creative right, just like the right to tell stories about war, death, or love. Developers deserve clarity in the guidelines impacting their work, consistency in the enforcement of those policies, and respect for their creative freedoms. 

The IGDA will continue to advocate for a fair, inclusive, and transparent industry for all game creators.

ABOUT THE IGDA

The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) is the world’s largest nonprofit membership organization serving all individuals who create games. We advance the careers and enhance the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating for the interests of game developers worldwide. Learn more at www.igda.org.