Concerns are mounting among indie developers because the digital storefront itch.io is failing to timely pay out their owed revenue. Creators are surfacing claims of substantial delays across platforms like Reddit and Bluesky, which directly affects those who rely on the marketplace to process user payments.
The payment crisis started as early as May 2025, according to some reports, but it gained widespread attention in July after the Vintage Story developer publicly disabled purchases on the site. The developer sparked a wider conversation by citing a three-month delay in receiving requested payouts. Significantly, these payment issues primarily affect developers who process user payments through itch.io’s own system, a method many low-budget creators prefer for its reduced administrative overhead over personal PayPal or Stripe accounts.
According to reports, an itch.io representative informed developers that the delays have been significantly intensified by the site’s recent, sudden decision to de-index adult content. This move, which was reportedly prompted by pressure from payment providers responding to an activist campaign, resulted in two key problems:
- Support Overload: The site’s support inbox became flooded with emails from developers seeking clarification or assistance regarding the de-indexing of their games and art.
- Payment Backlog: Many developers mass-requested payouts as their content was de-indexed, overwhelming the existing payment processing system and causing a substantial backlog.
Despite the ongoing difficulties, itch.io appears to be taking steps to address the problem. Site founder Leaf Corcoran informed developers on September 23 that the platform had created a direct support line specifically to assist with payment processing concerns, signaling an attempt to streamline the system and resolve outstanding issues.
