In short
- July 24, 2025: itch.io deindexed all adult NSFW content, citing scrutiny from its payment processors.
- July 28: Stripe payments for 18+ pages were suspended "for the foreseeable future".
- July 31: free adult pages became eligible for browse again. Paid ones were to return "slowly".
- Since July 25, 2025 adult pages are blocked for UK visitors under the Online Safety Act.
What happened
itch.io posted "Update on NSFW content" on its developer blog on July 24, 2025: Recently, we came under scrutiny from our payment processors regarding the nature of some content hosted on itch.io.
All adult NSFW pages were taken out of browse and search. The pages stayed reachable by direct link and stayed in buyers' libraries. The post names the Australian group Collective Shout, which had campaigned against Steam and itch.io through their payment processors; press dates its open letter to the card networks to July 11.
A week earlier, Valve had added a rule to Steam banning content that may break its payment processors' and card networks' standards and retired a set of adult games. On August 1 Mastercard issued a statement saying it has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms
and that it allows all lawful purchases.
What changed after
An addendum on July 28 suspended Stripe payments for 18+ content. On July 31 itch.io re-indexed adult pages set to "No Payments", saying paid content would be reintroduced slowly and quoting Stripe that it could not support content designed for sexual gratification
. For itch.io, adult NSFW means the "contains sensitive material" box plus a tag such as porn, hentai, erotic or eroge.
The creator FAQ now carries a list of themes itch.io says it cannot support for sale because they are prohibited in card processing networks, among them non-consensual content, incest and bestiality. It adds that Fictional, illustrated, and rendered content is generally fine, assuming it's legal.
We found no dated itch.io announcement that paid adult pages are fully back. Its NSFW comics pages, though, list paid titles behind a date-of-birth gate.
What it means for readers and creators
Free adult comics on itch.io are findable again (other free options are on free porn comics sites, and indie work on NSFW comics). Paid ones are listed, but card payment through Stripe is not available for sexually explicit pages. In the UK, pages with sensitive content and adult tags have been blocked since July 25, 2025 until itch.io adopts an age-verification provider; past purchases stay downloadable.
Creators selling explicit comics should check the prohibited-theme list before uploading. Comparisons are on creator content rules and where to publish adult comics; readers looking for DRM-free files can try DRM-free downloads. More stories are on the news page.
FAQ
Why did itch.io remove adult content?
itch.io said it came under scrutiny from its payment processors. It deindexed adult pages first and then suspended Stripe for 18+ content.
Is adult content back on itch.io?
Free adult pages were re-indexed on July 31, 2025. Paid ones are listed, but itch.io has not posted a dated announcement of their return.
Can I see adult pages on itch.io from the UK?
No. They have been geo-restricted since July 25, 2025 under the Online Safety Act, until itch.io adopts age verification.