A few weeks after notable digital video game distributors Steam and itch.io “deindexed” games following pressure from payment providers, Mastercard is speaking out.
On Friday, the multinational payment company issued a brief statement clarifying its position on gaming content:
“Mastercard has not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites and platforms, contrary to media reports and allegations.
“Our payment network follows standards based on the rule of law. Put simply, we allow all lawful purchases on our network. At the same time, we require merchants to have appropriate controls to ensure Mastercard cards cannot be used for unlawful purchases, including illegal adult content.”
Mastercard’s statement comes not long after global payment processors began pressuring video game distributors to delist adult-oriented downloads. The brands’ anti-NSFW crusade started a few weeks ago, likely a result of public outcry from Australian activist group Collective Shout.
On July 11, the group — a self-described “grassroots campaigns movement against the objectification of women and the sexualisation of girls” — penned an open letter to payment processors “profiting from rape, incest + child abuse games on Steam,” specifically targeting leaders at Visa, Mastercard, Discover, Stripe, and PayPal. The anti-NSFW group’s message demands brands “cease processing payments on gaming platforms which host rape, incest and child sexual abuse-themed games.”
In response, Valve-owned digital game retailer Steam and indie game hub itch.io obscured games with mature themes. The latter’s creator, leafo, announced the decision in a July 24 update. “We have ‘deindexed’ all adult NSFW content from our browse and search pages,” they said. “We understand this action is sudden and disruptive, and we are truly sorry for the frustration and confusion caused by this change.”
itch.io’s update specifically names the Collective Shout campaign as a catalyst in the industry-wide crusade against adult downloads:
“Recently, we came under scrutiny from our payment processors regarding the nature of some content hosted on itch.io. Due to a game titled No Mercy, which was temporarily available on itch.io before being banned back in April, the organization Collective Shout launched a campaign against Steam and itch.io, directing concerns to our payment processors about the nature of certain content found on both platforms.
“Our ability to process payments is critical for every creator on our platform. To ensure that we can continue to operate and provide a marketplace for all developers, we must prioritize our relationship with our payment partners and take immediate steps towards compliance.
“This is a time critical moment for itch.io. The situation developed rapidly, and we had to act urgently to protect the platform’s core payment infrastructure. Unfortunately, this meant it was not realistic to provide creators with advance notice before making this change. We know this is not ideal, and we apologize for the abruptness of this change.
“We are currently conducting a comprehensive audit of content to ensure we can meet the requirements of our payment processors. Pages will remain deindexed as we complete our review. Once this review is complete, we will introduce new compliance measures. For NSFW pages, this will include a new step where creators must confirm that their content is allowable under the policies of the respective payment processors linked to their account.”
While Valve hasn’t specifically named Collective Shout’s campaign as a contributing factor, one brand spokesperson told Eurogamer that payment processors’ pressure influenced the site’s new guidelines. “We were recently notified that certain games on Steam may violate the rules and standards set forth by our payment processors and their related card networks and banks,” the spokesperson told Eurogamer. “As a result, we are retiring those games from being sold on the Steam Store, because loss of payment methods would prevent customers from being able to purchase other titles and game content on Steam.”
While itch.io said it will reindex some free adult content, the credit card companies’ ability to intimidate retailers and ultimately influence store offerings has fans and industry experts raising their brows. While Collective Shout cited No Mercy in its initial letter, those critical of content censorship and credit card company overreach worry that limiting in-game violence is just the start.
According to The Guardian, one petition backer who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ community said they feared the removal of LGBTQ+ content may follow. “Banning sexual content never stops there, it always include non-sexual things. As such the fight to protect people’s right to sexual expression is vital for protecting my right to exist,” they said.
In the days since the distributors delisted scrutinized content, consumers took to social media to challenge the credit card processors and urge others to join the cause. In addition to pointed posts targeting the brands, fans are signing anti-censorship Change.org petitions and calling card companies’ customer service lines. At the time of writing, the petition has garnered more than 215,000 signatures.
This is a developing story.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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