Recently, Steam and Itch.io performed a mass de-index of many NSFW titles on their platforms, all because payment providers were putting pressure on the storefronts due to some pretty abysmal creations seeping through the certification and approval cracks. This led to a bit of an uproar across the industry, as while the intentions were no doubt pure, the idea that a payment processing partner has larger sway over some of the biggest storefronts than respected age rating and classification boards has led many to question whether the de-indexing should ever have happened.
Itch.io was clearly on the fence about this issue, as the platform has begun to re-index many of its NSFW titles, specifically the free ones. This is a move that comes in line with greater guidelines and restrictions in place on these products, with no word yet on what will happen to paid products.
In an update post, Itch.io explains that the move comes in an effort to "confidently support the widest range of creators in the long term". This also comes as Itch.io has spoken with one its payment partners, Stripe, who has outlined what it will and will not accept card payments for. The company explains:
"Stripe is currently unable to support sexually explicit content due to restrictions placed on them by their banking partners, despite card networks generally supporting adult content (with the appropriate registrations). Stripe has indicated that they hope to be able to support adult content in the future."
Itch.io is also in discussion with its other partners in the hope that an agreement can be made for them to also accept payment for NSFW content with "sensitive material". As for what sees a game fitted with these warnings, the platform explains that these are games with "a tag suggesting adult content (e.g., "porn," "mature," "lewd," "erotic," "hentai," "fetish")".
There is still de-indexed content on Itch.io, and seemingly many are now able to return assuming the owners of the product page complete a new content warning system that sees their product tagged with the correct NSFW markers.