Steam and Itch.io are facing pressure from payment processors that have requested them to remove certain adult games from their platforms. This situation not only affects the market giants but is also having repercussions on smaller platforms. A notable case is that of Zoom Platform, a digital game store that has reaffirmed its commitment not to remove titles, even those considered for adults. After receiving concerns from a payment processor, Zoom Platform committed to protecting freedom of expression on its platform. This was never about pornographic games […]
Steam and Itch.io are facing pressure from payment processors who have requested them to remove certain adult games from their platforms. This situation not only affects the market giants but is also having repercussions on smaller platforms. A notable case is that of Zoom Platform, a digital game store that has reaffirmed its commitment not to remove titles, even those considered for adults. After receiving concerns from a payment processor, Zoom Platform pledged to protect freedom of expression on its platform.
This was never about pornographic games
“One of our payment processors informed us that a ‘member of the industry’ was concerned about our content,” said Zoom Platform. In response, the company engaged in discussions with PayPal and Stripe to develop solutions that ensure the right to free expression and the safety of its users. Additionally, it has implemented a two-factor authentication system and a digital wallet to better manage transactions, preventing adult titles from being subject to individual scrutiny.
Although Zoom Platform has no plans to remove any titles, concern persists among developers that not only adult games are at risk. Examples like Grand Theft Auto and Duke Nukem have been mentioned as potentially threatened in this context. The pressure to remove adult games has been driven by Collective Shout, a charitable group that has been involved in video game censorship campaigns for decades, even attempting to pull GTA 5 from some retailers in Australia.
The concern among developers is palpable; as noted by the team behind the cooperative climbing game Peak, “it would be reckless to assume that any game is safe.” The current situation highlights how payment platform decisions can have a significant impact on the diversity of content in the realm of digital entertainment.
GOG has launched a new initiative titled FreedomToBuy.games to protest against censorship in the gaming industry, offering a package of 13 games considered NSFW for free. This decision has provoked an overwhelming response, as one million users claimed the games in the first 24 hours, surpassing all expectations of the platform. The GOG team has been forced to work tirelessly to maintain system stability, given the unexpected volume of downloads. Neither Visa nor Mastercard intimidate them The promotion is available only until midnight EST today, the […]
GOG has launched a new initiative titled FreedomToBuy.games to stand against censorship in the realm of video games, offering a package of 13 games considered NSFW for free. This decision has provoked an overwhelming response, as one million users claimed the games in the first 24 hours, surpassing all expectations of the platform. The GOG team has been forced to work tirelessly to maintain system stability, given the unexpected volume of downloads.
Neither Visa nor Mastercard are afraid
The promotion is available only until midnight EST today, which adds a sense of urgency to the action. Additionally, GOG has expressed its interest in offering more bundles in the future, suggesting the possibility of continuing this collective protest. In its statement, GOG emphasizes that the movement is not only focused on NSFW games but represents a broader opposition to censorship in video games, warning that any title could be removed if there is enough pressure from specific groups.
The DRM-free nature of the download ensures that users will keep the games they purchased in their library, with no risk of them being removed in the future. This aspect is crucial, according to GOG, which emphasizes that “any game that disappears today becomes exponentially harder to recover later”. The FreedomToBuy website also offers developers the opportunity to donate their games as part of this protest, indicating that the initiative could continue to grow.
The enthusiastic response to FreedomToBuy highlights the growing concern about censorship in the video game industry. As the initiative states: “Some games disappear, not because they have broken the law, but because someone decided they should not exist.” This underscores the risk that, if current trends continue, any game could be delisted if a sufficiently large group demands it.
Adam Gryu, the developer behind the successful indie game A Short Hike, has shared updates about an RPG project inspired by Paper Mario that is currently on hold. Although Gryu considers this game, titled Untitled Paper RPG, to be more or less canceled, he released a free demo on Itch.io that offers between one and two hours of gameplay, giving fans a glimpse of his work in progress. Canceled, but it is possible to play everything he has done The development of the RPG began after the announcement of Paper Mario Color Splash in 2016, which motivated […]
Adam Gryu, the developer behind the successful indie game A Short Hike, has shared updates about an RPG project inspired by Paper Mario that is currently on hold. Although Gryu considers this game, titled Untitled Paper RPG, to be more or less canceled, he released a free demo on Itch.io that provides between one and two hours of gameplay, giving fans a glimpse of his work in progress.
Canceled, but it is possible to play everything that has been done
The development of the RPG began after the announcement of Paper Mario Color Splash in 2016, which motivated Gryu to create a title inspired by classic Nintendo role-playing games. However, in 2018, he decided to put the project on hold and dedicate his time to developing A Short Hike, which became an unexpected success. Despite the positive reception of his hiking game, Gryu has revealed that the process of creating the RPG became difficult and overwhelming, leading him to lose motivation.
In a post on Itch.io, Gryu explained that the RPG faced several challenges, including an overly ambitious scope, a lack of a compelling narrative, and a combat system that turned out to be not fun. “I started to lose the joy I felt while working on it,” he commented. Although he currently does not plan to return to the project, he left open the possibility of resuming work in the future.
Although Gryu is working on an MMO titled Ghost Town Pumpkin Festival, he is also developing other games without a clear definition of which one will be finished first. The demo of the RPG, which includes art and characters from various developers, highlights aspects of his work that Gryu considers both proud and embarrassing. However, the developer prefers to share the demo rather than let the project be forgotten.
The wildfires in California have been completely extinguished, although they have left a devastating impact in their wake, destroying numerous structures and leaving hundreds of families homeless. In light of this critical situation, the video game platform itch.io has taken the initiative to support those affected by offering a charity bundle that includes over 400 video games, from well-known titles like Tunic and Skatebird to tabletop role-playing games and many other titles. This bundle is offered at a symbolic price of just 10 dollars. Will you have time to play 400 games? The gaming community has responded positively to this […]
The wildfires in California have been completely extinguished, although they have left a devastating impact in their wake, destroying numerous structures and leaving hundreds of families homeless. In light of this critical situation, the video game platform itch.io has taken the initiative to support those affected by offering a charity bundle that includes over 400 video games, from well-known titles like Tunic and Skatebird to tabletop role-playing games and many other titles. This bundle is offered at a symbolic price of just 10 dollars.
The gaming community has responded positively to this initiative, and so far a total of $175,807 has been raised, approaching the goal of $200,000 set by itch.io. A total of 13,484 people have purchased the package, demonstrating the public’s commitment to helping those affected by this calamity. Starting March 13, the package will no longer be available, so there are still ten days for those who wish to contribute to this cause.
All the money raised will be donated to CORE (Community Organized Relief Effort), an organization based in Los Angeles that provides direct assistance to fire survivors and works on preventing future disasters. They may not be the biggest titles on the market, but they are very interesting independent games.
The proposal from itch.io not only seeks to assist in the immediate recovery of the victims but also emphasizes the importance of implementing measures to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future. The supportive response from the gaming community is a testament to the power of unity in times of crisis.
Do you want to support the Palestinian people and don’t know how? We bring you a bundle of video games where all proceeds go to an NGO.
There is probably nothing more terrible happening in the world than the genocide in Palestine. The number of deaths is absolutely terrifying and the medical and humanitarian crisis facing the Palestinian people is unacceptable. That is why any form of aid for the Palestinian people is good. Well received. And it’s not like there are few.
If you need a little excuse to dare to take the step to help the Palestinian people, Palestinian Relief Bundle from itch.io is the excuse you were looking for. With content worth over $1,600, it is a bundle of 373 video games, comics, soundtracks, and other digital content, donated by their authors to help the Palestinian people. All proceeds will go directly to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, an NGO that aims to address “the medical and humanitarian crisis facing young Palestinians in the Middle East”.
In addition, to convince you, we have selected some of the most interesting games from this package. Those games that will convince you that it is a good idea to donate the minimum eight dollars that the Palestinian Relief Bundle asks for. And of course, if you want or can donate more, one thing is certain, Palestinian children will thank you for life.
A Short Hike
This game by Adam Robinson-Yu, A Short Hike, has two features that make it unique: it is a cozy game about hiking and it is an open world that doesn’t extend beyond three or four hours. With an adaptive soundtrack and a super beautiful world, we take on the role of Claire, an anthropomorphic bird, who wants to reach the top of a mountain. Whether we go straight to it or indulge in conversations with inhabitants and hikers, mini-games, and all the secrets that Hawk Peak Provincial Park hides will be up to us. But it’s hard not to want to spend a little more time in such a cozy place with such friendly people.
Zero Ranger
ZeroRanger is a side-scrolling shoot ’em up with a very unique color palette, based on orange, green, and black. In addition to having high scores, different shooting modes, and a story mode, this game has something else. Something different. It puts a great emphasis on narrative and story, using its mechanics to build something different and much deeper than what we expect from a shoot ’em up. Excellently written and designed, even if you’re not a fan of the genre, trust us: you need to play ZeroRanger.
Fatum Betula
Within the narrative, another standout game is Fatum Betula. It is an exploration game set in a strange place, where we have to collect and use objects, open doors, and interact with characters. All to unlock one of ten possible endings, in a world with the aesthetics of the original PlayStation and an evident tone of horror. Except that it’s not scary. More similar to the crazy LSD: Dream Emulator than to a horror game, in Fatum Betula we must let ourselves be immersed in its atmosphere. The strange beauty of its world. In return, we will receive an absolutely unique experience.
Brush Burial
Talking about really sinister games, if that’s what interests you, we have to talk about Brush Burial. A low-fidelity game where we embody a spider-cat devil that must hunt down its enemies with its unique movement abilities. All to kill them with its only weapon: a knife. Very stealth-based, focused on movement and the overall eerie and disturbing atmosphere, Brush Burial is one of those games that is hard to forget. If it’s even possible to do so.
Wandersong
Who wouldn’t want to be an animated and silly bard who makes the lives of those around him happier? Well, maybe it’s not something we dreamed of as children, but it sounds like a game that can be fun. Especially if it’s a musical, colorful, and extremely sweet platformer, like Wandersong. A game from a team that would later create a cult indie game called Chicory. Which we also highly recommend.
Beglitched
To finish, let’s close with another sweet game. Cuqui. Beglitched is a hacking game where we discover that our computers are filled with adorable magical creatures. Being a glitch witch, we will have to learn how to manipulate the computers and the creatures that inhabit them to delve into the depths of a peculiar computer. An excellent puzzle game that is also guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Buckshoot Roulette is a horror game about playing Russian roulette that has achieved one million sales since its release.
Sometimes success comes from the least expected places. This is something that Mike Klubnika can confirm, a developer specialized in horror games, who until now had had moderate success with his small projects. Until the arrival of Buckshot Roulette. A game of playing Russian roulette with a strange character in the back room of an Eastern European nightclub with a shotgun.
After its release on Steam on April 4th, the game has managed to surpass one million copies sold. In addition to this, it should be noted that the game was already available on itch.io, but on Steam it has experienced a slight price increase, reaching 2.99€. This means that Klubnika won’t have to worry about money in the near future, being able to continue with the planned updates for the game.
Buckshoot Roulette has been slowly growing over time, gaining great popularity between late 2023 and early 2024 thanks to word of mouth and its constant exposure on streaming services. This has resulted in slow but steady sales, exploding in popularity upon its release on Steam.
If you are interested in trying it out, Buckshoot Roulette is available on Steam and itch.io.
Six years later, Celeste returns, the classic indie platformer, adding a new dimension of gameplay, turning it into a Nintendo 64 game.
Few indies are more beloved than Celeste. If we also have to stick to platformers, there is probably none other that is remembered with such affection. And there are more than enough reasons for that. It was beautiful, it dealt with a warm and important theme, and its mechanics are still today so revolutionary, that even the latest Prince of Persia borrows some of them. Because Celeste is impossible to forget.
That’s why, now that it turns six years old, Extremeley OK Games has decided to celebrate the game’s birthday in a big way. By releasing a new game where we control Madelaine. With a twist. This time it’s in 3D.
Named Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountain, it is a game that imitates the style of Nintendo 64 games to create a 3D platformer that maintains the essence of Celeste. The result is not only excellent, but also very original and different. It feels both like a Nintendo 64 game and like Celeste, but not quite like either. A beautiful tribute to both the original game and platformers of an underrated console.
In addition, Celeste 64: Fragments of the Mountaincan be downloaded from Maddy Makes Games’ itch.io page at the best possible price: for free. Because they have decided that the best way to celebrate Celeste’s birthday is not for us to give them anything, but for them to give us a game. A new and excellent one.
This horror game about Russian roulette has gone viral, and rightly so, as it is one of the best independent games we have played.
The reasons why a game goes viral tend to be a mystery. Why one game gains traction and another doesn’t, attracting the attention of a lot of people, is something that is rarely possible to know for sure. What is clear is that it helps if the game is good. The more interesting elements it has, the easier it will be for it to reach that virality. And the latest viral game, Buckshot Roulette, is very good.
Buckshot Roulette is a game that puts us in a very simple, but dangerous situation: we are in the bathrooms of a nightclub. On the other side of the hallway, a sinister-looking man is waiting for us to play three rounds of Russian roulette, but with a shotgun instead of a revolver. When it’s our turn, we can shoot him or ourselves. Each round, we randomly draw two objects from a box, which we can use however we want, as long as it’s our turn. There are no jumpscares. The rest is up to us.
This game by Mike Klubnika, in addition to strongly reminding one of the great successes of 2022, Inscryption, manages to succeed because of how rough and industrial it is. The music is abrasive, the sound effects brutal, and the artistic design sinister. There is not a single time that shooting or being shot at doesn’t feel tense and terrible. And when we shoot ourselves in the face, there is not a single time that it doesn’t scare and result in trauma.
This is contributed by how well designed all aspects of the game are. Each new round increases the stakes, introduces new elements to consider, and makes it more likely that everything will end with our brains on the wall. The objects, far from relieving tension by giving us some control over what will happen, add tension by being limited, random, and also in the possession of our opponent. This, combined with the fact that the final round is life or death, without defibrillators to bring us back to life after the last shot, makes Buckshot Roulette a brief but very intense game.
That’s why it shouldn’t surprise us that it has gone viral. It is a dark, tense, and dramatic game. It produces scares without jumpscares, fear without resorting to the classic elements of the genre. And besides, it costs €1.20 on itch.io. More than enough reasons to try this small, but immeasurable horror game.
One of the most beloved Zelda games in history receives an incredible PC port, surpassing all its technical limitations for maximum enjoyment.
Nintendo has a magical touch that makes their games not seem to age. Even when their age is evident due to the technical limitations they are subjected to, they have such good artistic design, careful mechanics, and clear intention that it is impossible not to recognize their logic. They are simply that good. They are made not as toys, thinking about the profit that can be extracted from them, but as something more. Like true works of art.
This is something that we can appreciate a little more today than yesterday thanks to the efforts of an anonymous developer. Because The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening DX, the 1995 version released for Game Boy Color of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, a Game Boy game released in 1993, has received a PC port that blows all its technical limitations out of the water.
Renamed Link’s Awakening DX HD, this port updates the game to allow widescreen and high refresh rate displays, as well as merging all individual maps to create an open world where we move with a very smooth and subtle scroll. That allows for another of the most surprising features of this port: the ability to zoom in or out of the camera view. That way, we can play at a 1:1 pixel perfect scale at 120fps, if we are able to see what is happening at that size. Or we have a screen large enough for that to be an option.
In any case, this is not the only port that The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has known. In addition to being a version of the original version itself, in 2019 Nintendo released an excellent remake of the game, with a diorama-like appearance. A version that, although it lost some of the mystery of the original, still retained all its magic.
This is something that will probably also happen with this Link’s Awakening DX HD. To check it out for yourself, you just have to download it on its itch.io page. However, it’s better if you do it quickly. Historically, Nintendo has not been a particularly understanding company with people who have made ports or remakes of their games.
This horror game forces you to play with a microphone and it ends if you scream… and it’s not Don’t Scream, but a game from a small independent developer
Not all horror games aim to scare us in the same way or for the same reasons. Whether they do so through jump scares, eerie settings, or by putting us in helpless situations depends on the type of horror game we’re dealing with. Similarly, it’s not the same if the game wants to scare us just for the sake of it or if it adds an extra layer—ending the game instantly if we scream.
Shhh is a game by 616 GAMES with a premise as simple as it is effective: we have to explore a house where sinister things happen, and if we get scared enough to scream, the game ends automatically. Thus, the idea is to keep calm, stay level-headed, and avoid getting frightened—a quite challenging task due to its VHS aesthetic, a very eerie atmosphere, and more than just relying on jump scares.
Even though it currently has only one setting—a house seemingly inhabited by horrors we’d rather not acknowledge—616’s developers have promised to add more in the future through free updates. This promises great replay value for the game in the long run.
Of course, this isn’t something entirely new as many current horror games have been leveraging the possibilities of microphones. In games like Phasmophobia and Lethal Company, monsters can locate you based on the sounds you make in real life. And in Don’t Scream, much like in Shhh, the game ends the moment you scream. Although the 616 GAMES’ game seems to do it with a lot more flair than Joure & Joe’s game.
Shhh is available for purchase on both Steam and Itch.io. And, as expected, it requires a microphone to play.
