If you want a gaming site for kids, create a gaming site for kids. Itch has a massive adult auditory and a big part of it is very unhappy. What you're basically suggesting is to change it into a different type of site that it was. There is no point, build a new site if you want something entirely different.
there is an "show adult content" button in the settings. Which is off by default (I think).
So any children or other sensitive groups would be safe from NSFW content unless they specifically choose to turn it on. If you choose to specifically view it. Then thats the users choice.
Personally, I am strongly against censorship, and regardless of avarage quality, if there is even one good thing in there, and seeing it in the first place is OPTIONAL, then it should stay.
First, when the fuck have games been defined by needing two hands to play with them? I can play rock paper scissors with one hand, some platformers you really only need WASD so I could play them one handed so are those not games? Second, not only are young kids not using this platform, they shouldn't be using itch even if the porn was taken away, especially if you are defending violent games like a hypocrite. Third, how does this help itch in the long run? They just burnt a large segment of users who may in fact use the site for non nsfw games as well who are now in open talks of making some alternative (which probably wont get far but still). No one is giving itch roses especially since they didn't WANT to do this in the first place they were forced to. Maybe ask why itch allowed nsfw games in the first place if hosting them was such a bad awful thing that didn't help them? If NSFW was really this terrible thing holding itch down... why did they have to get bullied by payment processors to deindex them all. And finally, I hope u weep and cry when the deindex ends and (most) of the porn comes back because its what you deserve for being this weird hypocritical prude.
Itch.io are welcome to sell whatever they wish at their discretion, as is their prerogative. Personally, I don't purchase NSFW (porn style) games, but it doesn't matter if I like them or not: adults should still be able to purchase them without judgement if they see fit - to enjoy them in the privacy of their own home without having to resort into going to some sordid and potentially dangerous corner of the internet to obtain something perfectly legal, a work of pure fiction at that. Someone, somewhere, should be allowed to sell these titles. Having payment processors push everyone around is a net negative for all us consumers. I think it would do the opposite of aid us in the long run, in fact.
Others have mentioned problems with parenting and circumventing age verification. Having made a purchase, Itch.io is a DRM-free store. Using this site or others like it, such as GOG, grant parents complete control already. All they must do is vet, purchase, and install appropriate games, then remove internet access. The procedure is no different than when games were distributed physically. Parents just need to take accountability for their own actions. Granting young children unfettered access to the internet is a very foolish thing to do that, in my opinion, parents should be much more considerate over.
Requesting governments or corporations to do this instead of parents having the sense and individual liberty to do so just brings what we are already seeing: widespread censorship. These agencies are being allowed to control what we see, what we purchase; what we think.
I don't do anything immoral or illegal, but I don't really want other people knowing what I do in private. We all deserve that right to privacy. Let me know what you think!
So... when does the book burning, start, Mein Fuhrer?
That was sarcasm, but if you took offense, you know beyond a doubt it you allow this to start here, the real purge of freedom of speech/expression will be MUCH more inclusive, and won't just be about a little pornography. This garbage was never about women or children and violence... children play ultra-violent war games on major consoles and platforms while their parents look on, saying nothing, because it keeps their children busy not bothering them. Nobody does squat about that. Triple-A title franchises like CoD and MW, GTA, and Saint's Row, Payday... etc... because it's SO much better to see decapitations and dismemberment than it is to see sex? Focus on controlling the means of accessing it, not destroying it... it's been said before: destroying it amounts to nothing more or less than book-burning in nazi Germany. Fact. It WON'T stop there, if it's allowed.
"And my only real issue is the porn content, I don't really have any issue with violent games (if it isn't too graphic)."
This is interesting to me. Why are people so much more comfortable with media showing torture, gore, and gruesome levels of violence? You can remove a guys head from his body and nobody bats an eye, but show a boob and omg call the church we gotta exorcise these demons!!!
It's a cultural phenomenon. Plus historical bias or whatever. There is a certain symetry between the US and other English native speaking countries and Europe. Violence is "accepted" in US more than nudity, while it is the other way round in Europe. One will see it in the age rating justification for mature like games used in rating systems like Pegi and ESRB.
Other places will have even other biases in that regard. Even in regard to video games as such. Japan is a strange one at that, with their mosaic censorship but no issues with the topics currently discussed. And certain countries have a big issue with anything lgbt, others with anything of an adult nature and for different reasons, with video games itself.
I was going to say that OP is fair as long as he acknowledges that people shouldn't just have their NSFW games up and removed from one of two indie friendly platforms without any alternatives, and there needs to be another way for them to charge their game and make money off of it, but now he just sounds like an AI art bro. "NOTHING IS GARUNTEED, GUYZ!" So basically, you Adult games removed because it'll help the platform "grow", not explaining how making it more family friendly is going to magically make it better, and your response to people who have their income hurt is "get over it/deal with it", big whup. You expect people to have any civil discourse when you have so little callous about what people do for a living, and you insult their intelligence?
Don't fucking tell us we aren't seeing the bigger picture like we're the ones who are ignorant, because guess what? The main force behind this attempt to police people on the internet defended Cuties of all things. You can't just support this sort of thing happening when those are the people behind it. It's like supporting a terrorist organization overthrowing the government. Yeah, it's bad, but that would only make things worse. And how are you going to use "THINK OF THE CHILDREN" as an unironic argument? Children shouldn't be seeing adult content because their parents should be monitoring what their kids do in the first place, and if they can't, that's not an excuse to place all of this bullshit that sure to bite people in the ass later on. It's certainly not going to deal with children actually getting screwed over. I hope that whatever it is that you do for a living gets hampered by someone with the same logic as you, so you can see how you sound.
And what's this stupid comment about NSFW games? What, was the only game you've seen kind of stupid AI generated Visual Novel? I can assure you there's plenty of games like Ghosts & Japes, where you don't just play "One-handed." That's how you know this is a troll rage baiting "p0Rn GAmz SuCk AnYwAY!" Basically telling people to get over having their income hurt, then expecting civil discourse, like an AI Bro....
Your first post was so dumb but your edit is somehow worse.
"My fault, I did not know this website was 13+. But I still do think that them removing NSFW games will let them lower the minimum age requirement easier. "
You didn't know because you're too lazy to check the facts before licking the boots of some random censorship cult. Or you're actually part of the cult. Your censorship will help Itch just like it helped Tumblr.
"Also, I am not supporting the censorship."
You are supporting censorship. Stop trying to gaslight people or at least try to do it better.
"I won't be talking about this stuff anymore. You guys can disagree all you want, but I will stand with my opinion. I understand developers who made these games aren't making money from them anymore. However, in life nothing is gauranteed. Hopefully, itch.io can grow from this and not let it destroy the platform."
So you figured out that your statment is dumb but your ego is too big to admit it. Don't speak like you care about indies, censor cult member.
If you allow your kids to wander alone on the internet and rely on censor cults to keep them safe, you should not be allowed to keep your kids nor having any access to the internet.
NSFW Content hasn't been removed. It's just somewhat more hidden than it already was. Nothing more than that. And even with that fact the reason why it was really bad was because there's not necessarily a website like itch.io but for NSFW Content, and really harmed the devs with Itch.io was a safe space for.
Plus the Site already hid nsfw content unless you had an official account and actively searched the tag to keep younger audiences away from such content. In general more harm was done for that section than good, the site wasn't really designed for younger audiences in the first place anyways.
I'd say there should just be a few more hoops that people should go through to access NSFW Content, rather than unexpectedly remove and shadow ban it with little warning and actively hurt the devs since little warning was given.
EDIT: I may be incorrect on there not be many other indie dev websites for NSFW Games but I could be very wrong since I haven't looked into that.
i'm in my mid-thirties, and i've been on the internet since i was 12, back before the internet was colonized by brands. i accidentally ran across stuff i probably shouldn't have from time to time, and you know what, it didn't break me. puritanical attitudes about human bodies, sex, pornography, and "forbidden media" did waaaaaay more emotional damage to me in the long run. purity culture does horrible things to you. it steals joy and layers shame over completely natural and harmless desires.
i genuinely hope someday you'll be able to let go of the attitude that porn is some kind of uniquely toxic substance that needs to be quarantined entirely from the rest of society. it actually sucks being uptight about it. i know because i lived that way for a while! yes, there is a time and place-- but itch has always allowed NSFW content. it does in fact "belong here", and always has.
