GOG pushes back as Steam delists adult games under payment-processor pressure
In July 2025, Steam removed hundreds of adult-themed games after mounting pressure from payment networks. The wave of delistings followed an open letter from the Australian activist group Collective Shout, which said it encouraged supporters to contact Visa and Mastercard about titles it deemed inappropriate. In response, Valve updated Steam’s publishing rules to align with payment network standards, effectively blocking affected releases from the storefront.
The fallout wasn’t limited to one platform. Itch.io also pulled around 20,000 independent titles, sparking a fierce backlash from developers and players alike who labeled the move as censorship. Petitions gathered tens of thousands of signatures, but as of mid-September, none of the removed games have returned to Steam, leaving them entirely unavailable for purchase.
Amid the controversy, GOG, the DRM-free store owned by CD Projekt, has taken a different tack. In a recent interview, GOG senior PR representative Piotr Gnyp framed the situation as a game preservation crisis, warning that delisted titles risk disappearing for good. While acknowledging that varying international laws can force storefront removals, Gnyp noted the current climate appears driven more by payment processor demands than direct legal requirements. He added that GOG’s approach is built around curation for quality, relevance, and value, which the company believes helps it resist undue censorship pressures.
GOG’s philosophy aligns with its “Good Old Games” heritage: DRM-free downloads with offline installers so players can keep access even if a service changes or shuts down. That preservation-first stance turned into action in early August 2025, when GOG launched a limited-time FreedomToBuy campaign, gifting 13 adult-rated games to over one million users as a direct protest against payment-processor interference in the games industry.
Why it matters: The fight over adult content on digital storefronts has become a proxy battle over who gets to decide what games can be sold—platform holders, payment companies, or players. For developers, the financial and cultural stakes are high; delistings can erase livelihoods and years of work. For consumers, it raises questions about ownership, access, and the long-term preservation of interactive media.
What to watch next:
– Whether Steam reinstates any of the delisted titles or further revises its publishing policies
– How Visa and Mastercard clarify standards for adult content and game monetization
– If more storefronts adopt GOG-like preservation strategies, alternative payment options, or stricter curation to navigate compliance
– The continued response from game creators and communities pushing back on perceived overreach
As the industry grapples with the balance between compliance, creative expression, and preservation, GOG’s stance sets up a stark contrast to the current status quo—one that could shape how adult content, indie games, and niche genres survive in an increasingly risk-averse digital marketplace.
