A brewing clash between game makers, payment giants, and marketplaces raises big questions about content, control, and who’s really calling the shots online.
Image by 8 verthing from Unsplash
If you’ve been following the recent wave of adult games getting pulled or hidden from popular platforms, you’ve probably seen the headlines: “Payment processors are cracking down.” But according to Mastercard, that’s not exactly how the story goes.
In a short but pointed statement released Friday, Mastercard said loud and clear: “We haven’t evaluated any game or required any restrictions.” The company insisted it hasn’t pressured platforms or creators directly, though it emphasized that merchants must block illegal content purchases using Mastercard cards.
So if Mastercard isn’t pulling the strings, who is?
That’s where things get messy.
Steam and Itch.io Clean House
First came the advocacy group Collective Shout, who called out payment companies like PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard in an open letter. Their chief concern? Games that portray rape, incest, and child abuse — such as the controversial title “No Mercy.”
Soon after that letter made waves, game platforms started changing course.
Valve, which owns Steam, updated its policies to ban games that don’t meet the standards of “payment processors and related card networks and banks.” Around the same time, indie platform Itch.io said it was removing adult content from its browse and search pages while launching a broader content audit.
Then came the question: Was this really about legal compliance, or were finance companies waving a quiet red flag?
Image by Milad Fakurian from Unsplash
Valve Says: We Tried, Got Rejected
Valve broke its silence with a statement to PC Gamer and others, adding more puzzle pieces to this sudden series of takedowns.
According to Valve, their team tried reaching out to Mastercard directly — but didn’t hear back. Instead, communication came through payment processors and acquiring banks, who relayed concerns about “brand-damaging transactions” and pointed to a Mastercard policy about high-risk content.
Valve responded by explaining that Steam’s policy since 2018 is to only distribute games that are legal. But this, Valve said, didn’t satisfy the processors. Their reply was “rejected.”
So while Mastercard says it doesn’t instruct platforms on restrictions, Valve suggests Mastercard’s rules about brand safety trickled down through financial middlemen — essentially pressuring them to act anyway.
Meanwhile, More Platforms Are Negotiating
Itch.io, which focuses heavily on free and indie games, is now trying to re-index adult content again — but it’s doing so cautiously, while negotiating with payment processors like Stripe.
Stripe, for its part, said it can’t support sexually explicit content at all because of restrictions from its banking partners.
What’s Really Going On Here?
At the heart of this is a game of telephone — and power. Game marketplaces are trying to navigate what content is allowed. Payment processors are caught between trying to follow the rules and protect their reputation. And creators? They’re stuck in the middle with no clear answers.
Here’s what’s clear so far:
- Mastercard denies any direct involvement in content bans.
- Valve says payment processors invoked Mastercard’s standards about illegal or damaging content.
- Platforms like Steam and Itch.io are changing how they host adult games, citing financial partners as a major influence.
- Content that may be legally distributed is still being taken down because of brand risk concerns.
So while Mastercard may not be issuing takedown orders, its policies — and the pressure from groups like Collective Shout — are still shaping access to adult-themed content.
Image by Tobias Tullius from Unsplash
It’s a reminder of how digital content today isn’t just governed by what’s legal. It’s also about what banks, platforms, and payment providers can or will support.
The lines are blurred. And the stakes for creators are growing sharper.
Keywords: Adult games, Valve, Mastercard, digital content regulation, game development
