The recent uproar following a crackdown on games featuring adult content in online marketplaces has raised concerns about censorship and pressure from payment processors. Mastercard recently addressed the controversy with a statement refuting claims that they had evaluated games or imposed restrictions on game creator sites. The company emphasized the importance of merchants implementing controls to prevent the use of Mastercard for illegal purchases, including adult content.
The advocacy group Collective Shout penned an open letter to payment processors like Paypal, Mastercard, and Visa, condemning the sale of games like “No Mercy” depicting themes of rape, incest, and child sexual abuse. In response, Steam announced a ban on games violating payment processors’ rules, prompting Itch.io to remove adult content games from its platform for further review.
While Mastercard’s statement contradicted allegations of direct involvement in pressuring game marketplaces, Valve, the owner of Steam, revealed a different perspective. Valve claimed that Mastercard did not communicate directly with them but relayed messages through payment processors and acquiring banks. Valve reiterated its commitment to distributing legally permissible games and argued that its response was rejected by payment processors citing a rule against transactions damaging the Mastercard brand.
Amidst the controversy, Itch.io announced plans to re-index free games containing adult content and engage in discussions with payment processors like Stripe. However, Stripe expressed its inability to support sexually explicit content due to restrictions imposed by banking partners.
As the debate surrounding adult content in games continues, the complexities of navigating censorship, payment regulations, and content moderation remain at the forefront of the gaming industry’s challenges. Stay tuned for further developments in this evolving landscape.
[San Francisco | October 27-29, 2025]
