itch.io

this shows that you can still download the game files (unless there is a blank page when you press the download button)

if the user can prove that it was itch that removed the purchased content, then yes itch should be responsible. Like screenshots showing the download page shows no content, and the developer telling the user that they did not remove any content.

no one is claiming that creators shouldn't spend money from sales. The big issue is when they remove downloads to their products, especially to those who paid for it. Customers should also understand that they shouldn't refund just to make a statement without thinking about the consequences to creators' income.

https://itch.io/docs/buying/already-bought use those instructions to try to help yourself

https://itch.io/docs/buying/already-bought could help (which I found)

I had to dig through the site a bit, but eventually found the page on how to recover purchases if we don't remember if the name of the game or if you owned a certain title. https://itch.io/docs/buying/already-bought Maybe it would be helpful to place a hyperlink to that page on the homepage either on the top bar or sidebar?

https://itch.io/docs/buying/already-bought

I had to do some digging, but I found this page that we as customers can use before complaining to support and asking for refunds.

I don't know where you are getting the notion that itch is actively removing downloads of owned games. Show proof here (or privately with me on X or Discord).

Can you show screenshots of what that page looks like now? Does it looks something like that?

yeah good word of caution 

itch.io still attracts a lot of developers who come onto the site just to do charity bundles.

I see that no one has came forward to say that content they owned is gone, just that they can't find it if they forgot the name.

in this case, it seems like the user chose to remove access to their game.

I'm not arguing that creators need to keep something up for sale, or that creators need to stay in business with itch if they feel like they just can't afford to do so. But they should honor the support by users (provided that they could prove purchase or ownership in their account)

true on that end, but creators shouldn't be removing downloads to purchased content. There have been cases of some devs completing deleting their storefront pages and erasing content. If a user cared and could prove that they purchased certain content, itch could put that onus back on creators. I'm not saying creators shouldn't get clarification from itch and boycott in their own way, but they shouldn't punish people who donated to them. Say Ubisoft or Devolver Digital removed a game from Steam because they disagreed with the platform's policies, and also made all games unplayable without warning users. Should Ubisoft of Devolver be let off the hook?

yep BOTH Steam and itch shouldn't have caved. Especially since Steam has a bigger user base and more funds

so then contact support and tell them all that. Tell them the email you bought the game with. And any info that can help you get your purchase back.

yeah looking for alternatives will only open those alternatives up for scrutiny IF they accept payment from Visa/Mastercard. Only sites that do not accept Visa or Mastercard whatsoever MIGHT be a true alternative.

I think creators should be more proactive letting those who had purchased that their downloads are safe. For there are people who can't find a game in search and assume that they can't download anymore and may try to chargeback or request a refund for something they still own. (Another problem area is that a lot of people ASSUME that a game that they downloaded without purchasing or claiming was in their library)

I think the point of them being more vague also allowed for NSFW/questionable content games to be able to come to Itch.io in the first place. Valve/Steam has been much more transparent per se, but also stricter on adult games (until very recently). But they also have that age verification measure, which I am not sure if itch.io has properly implemented sitewide. If someone like Valve/Steam has to mass delist games to comply, itch.io would have been suicidal to act like the hero for NSFW content

since Steam is also caving to their demands, so you will stop buying from Steam (or at least tell others to stop?)

the thing is... we don't know the full extent of the situation. Steam also got hit with these threats apparently, and they COULD do more than just delist those games they had already did in that big batch.

also one point is if the user has to claim the refund or will they be given to all removed games. Some users have claimed that removed games still have download files in their libraries, so would itch force them to accept a refund and then take away those download files?

when itch.io was allowing on a lot of content that Steam refused to even consider or would promptly delist, I saw the writing on the wall, especially when Steam mass delisted in response as well... Itch.io went about this the wrong way, but the website could be swarmed and taken down in an instant if they didn't immediately respond. Now X and other sites are feeling the risk of further censorship.

so also blast Steam as well for bending the knee as well. But you knew that when Steam denied games access or retroactively banned them to their storefront in the first place (remember Super Seducer 3 where the dev had appealed that they were following TOS). Not saying itch is doing is the right way, but the bigger storefronts who can make a stance aren't doing so.

Removal of games from libraries is something that creators/devs have done as well. So when developers and creators remove game downloads from games they purchased without warning, who do we blame?

That would be unfair for those who can access the games still and had purchased (unless you mean downloads without claiming)

unfortunately Congress is busy with other matters that they have slowed down to a snail's pace for the most part...

great!!

did you ever properly own the game though like shown in this image?

that's unfortunate. For every important issue, another one gets overlooked. People only have so much time and attention, and Stop Killing Games and VShojo and the UK age verification stuff are all headliners

yeah first it is Steam and itchio. Next it could be your favorite webcomic site. Or it could hit Amazon for "questionable" products.

I am more so wondering on the end of the consumer rather than the creator.

One big thing to note is if the deindexed or removed games had the option to claim or simply download. If there was never any claim option, users here never truly had ownership of the game besides what they had downloaded to their local drives.

Yes the thing about itch.io is that unlike Steam, creators are giving a lot of leeway of whether the game can be claimed or simply downloaded. On Steam, most of the F2P or purely free games can be claimed and attached to your account. Here, many products are purely download only if they are listed as free. That brings about confusion about ownership as well (as users believe that downloading a game places the game in their itch.io library). I don't know whether activating the claim option for a product is not always allowed for creators, but that could be worth clarifying by itch.io admins as well.

yeah itch.io and Steam are just the tip of the iceberg. Comics and webtoons could be targeted next for having "questionable" content.

Steam is also proving to cave to pressure as well. Plus Steam bans some games from being published that were uploaded to itch.io in the first place.

Yeah this is important conversations to have. Everyone from top to bottom need to held accountable, especially those at the top.

So you would have rather itch put out a brutally honest message like this: "We really want to keep fighting for you. But there is a high chance that Visa and Mastercard will drop support of our site, depriving us of the revenue and payment options that are desperately needed to keep Itch.io afloat." Followed by a plea of financial support through means other than Visa or Mastercard.

Steam bent the knee as well. So you no longer support Steam as well right?