Do we have any other platform like itch.io to publish our games where payments actually work? Not Steam!
@leafo, thinking about the developers, could you give us an update or any intention of bringing back payments for NSFW content on the platform?
Only option I've found is:
It's pretty convoluted, but it means you can distribute your game and gives customers the option between an immediate download or a permanent key. You meet the itch requirements by accepting payment for an adult game externally. There might be better ways of doing it, or automating it, but not figured them out yet.
I've also been looking for other places to sell my adult games, but ended up releasing a free version of my new game on itch and a donation version on patreon. It's really not easy for nsfw devs right now.
itch seems to be the best place for queer/gay/bara games like mine, and I hope a solution regarding payment providers will be found.
(You said "not Steam", but it's at least somewhat of an option, but it really depends. Got my game Demon's Soulbound accepted, and it's very NSFW. I thought I'd run into more trouble there.)
Yes! One great option besides Steam and itch.io is Kickstarter. It’s a crowdfunding platform where you can showcase your game idea, build excitement, and raise money directly from supporters before the game even launches. Many indie developers use it successfully to fund development, cover costs, and grow a player base early.
I can help you set up and manage the whole Kickstarter process from creating a strong campaign page with visuals and videos, to planning rewards for backers, and making sure the project gets visibility. With the right strategy, it can not only fund your game but also attract a dedicated community around it.
Would you like me to share some steps on how we can get started?
Honestly, it feels like every NSFW dev is running into the same wall right now. Patreon + itch demo seems to be the most workable combo, but it’s definitely not ideal. Nutaku works if you get accepted, and some devs use Gumroad or SubscribeStar as alternatives too. Would be great if we had a more straightforward platform for this.
Gumroad isn’t really a game storefront like itch.io. It’s more of a digital product platform where you can upload files (like your game build) and sell them directly to people. Basically, you create a product page, set a price (or even pay-what-you-want), upload your game file, and share the link with your audience. Most NSFW devs use it together with Patreon, SubscribeStar, or Discord to give buyers access to updates and builds. It’s simple, but you have to bring your own traffic since Gumroad doesn’t have a game discovery section like itch.io or Steam.
Gumroad stopped allowing sexually explicit content a year and a half ago.
https://gumroad.com/help/article/156-gumroad-and-adult-content
I’ve heard their draconic definition of fetish comes down heavily on works with female models, fat characters, queer creators. Tho, really, I’m not sure how strict they are. The creators I was following there pulled out when the new restrictions suddenly took affect.
Enjoy mosaic censoring all your genitals (required by law in Japan) and paying a 30-40% cut to DLsite. Also, they ALSO massively censored themselves recently in response to cc pressure. The difference was, being Japan, they still ended up with more freedom because they were more free to begin with (aside from the whole mosaic thing). And CC cut them off anyway, so VISA/Mastercard don't really have any leverage to demand MORE censorship at this point. Unlike in the US though, being cut off from the card companies isn't a total death blow: Japanese people are happy to just use their bank cards, and they have an external points system to get around the nonsense too. Long story short, you won't be selling to many Americans on DLsite, but if you can make your game accessible to Japanese customers there might be possibilities there.
Just be aware that before all this happened, many Japanese developers were testing the waters out on Itch as a possible escape from DLSite. It's far from ideal.