itch.io (written in all lowercase letters) is a website where users can share, sell, and download independent video games, role-playing games, game materials, comics, zines, and music. It was started in March 2013 by Leaf Corcoran. As of November 2024, the site hosts more than 1,000,000 items.
itch.io lets users organize game jams, which are events where people create games within a short time period. It also allows multiple users to sell their items together in groups called "bundles."
History
In 2012, an American programmer named Leaf Corcoran created a new programming language called "MoonScript" and began making games using it. However, he had no place to share his games with others. At the time, Steam, a major website for selling video games, used a system where games were approved based on votes from the public. Corcoran wanted to create a more open place for independent game developers to share their work, inspired by the way Bandcamp allowed artists to sell their music. He started building the website in January 2013 and launched it on March 3, 2013, using a domain name he had not used before called "itch.io." At first, the site received little attention and mostly acted as a personal storage place for Corcoran's projects. Itch.io gained more notice when Corcoran participated in a game-making event called Ludum Dare. He added tools to the site to help people host contests. In early 2014, Itch.io held a game contest called Flappy Jam, inspired by the popular game Flappy Bird after it was removed from the App Store. The event received many game submissions and was covered by the media. By the end of 2014, Corcoran said he had spent more than $8,000 to run Itch.io, which he managed alone the entire time.
By 2015, Itch.io had become a well-known platform for independent game creators. By June, the site had paid over $393,000 to developers and hosted more than 15,000 games, a number that had more than tripled in the previous nine months. A computer program to use Itch.io was released in early 2016. By February 2017, the site had reached five million game downloads.
In 2021, during a legal case between Epic Games and Apple, Epic Games argued that Apple would not allow other game stores to operate on the App Store. Itch.io had been added to the Epic Games Store shortly before, which some people saw as a way to show that Epic did not restrict other stores. Apple's lawyers said that Epic helped spread attention to games on Itch.io that had not been checked for content, including some with sexual themes. Many users on Itch.io were unsure about both companies but found the situation amusing. One user created a game contest called "Unspeakable Jam," and Itch.io joked on Twitter that Apple's lawyers had called and told them to "turn off ALL the games." A reporter from ScreenHub Australia, Chantelle McColl, said the situation was not important because people could still access games on Apple devices through other methods.
A public report in 2019 showed that Itch.io had hosted more than 200,000 games.
On December 8, 2024, Itch.io's website became unavailable because an automated system called BrandShield's AI platform reported it as a fake website trying to steal information on behalf of Funko. The site was restored later the same day.
Features and functionality
Itch.io is a popular website where small and independent game developers can share their work. Anyone can upload games to the site. It uses a pay-what-you-want system, meaning buyers can choose how much to pay, and developers can set a minimum price. Since 2015, developers have controlled how much money Itch.io keeps from sales. By default, the site takes 10% of each sale, which was lower than the usual 30% in the industry at the time. Developers can change this percentage, including setting it to 0%. One of Itch.io's well-known features is the ability to create custom store pages for games.
In its early years, Itch.io added features based on user requests. For example, Alan Hazelden, creator of A Good Snowman Is Hard to Build (2015), asked for a "price-changing API" that adjusted game prices based on real-world temperatures. In 2016, Itch.io introduced early access tools called "Refinery" after a request from developer Adam Saltsman. Developers can use tools like secret URLs, password protection, sales limits, and tiered purchases with rewards.
Itch.io is often seen as a platform for new developers, sometimes called a "stepping-stone" to Steam, a larger platform with stricter rules. Steam requires a $100 fee and legal paperwork to post games. Corcoran, Itch.io's founder, found this perception upsetting. He noted that a game called Clone Drone in the Danger Zone earned more money on Itch.io than after it moved to Steam, where sales dropped by 20%.
Developers can sell bundles of games together. These bundles are often grouped by theme, genre, or community. Itch.io also hosts charity bundles to raise money for causes. Users can split bundle profits between accounts as they choose, either equally or by percentage.
In 2021 and 2022, Itch.io held a Queer Games Bundle during Pride Month to support LGBTQ game developers and zine makers. The 2022 version included over 500 items and raised $216,000 for 431 creators, even with a "pay what you want" option.
Itch.io has also created bundles to support social causes. In 2020, it launched the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality to support the George Floyd protests. The bundle started with over 700 games and grew to more than 1,500. It raised $8.1 million in 11 days for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund. Other charity bundles include the "TTRPGs for Trans Rights" series, the 2022 Bundle for Ukraine for the International Medical Corps and Voices of Children, which raised over $400,000 on its first day during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and the 2022 Indie Bundle for Abortion Funds, which raised over $380,000 after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
Content
Itch.io is a platform where many small and creative game developers share their work. It is known for its variety of experimental and independent games, as well as other items like books and music. Some games on Itch.io are simple or hard to understand, while others are unique and show new ideas. Most games on Itch.io are not widely known, but they are praised for their artistic and original nature.
In July 2025, Itch.io removed thousands of adult-themed games from sale after concerns were raised by payment processors and organizations like Collective Shout. These groups claimed some games on Itch.io and Steam included content such as rape, incest, and the exploitation of women. While Steam reviewed and removed only specific problematic games, Itch.io temporarily removed all games labeled as mature content and reviewed them individually to meet payment processor requirements. The platform’s leader, Corcoran, explained this step was needed to protect its payment system, as Itch.io had no prior review process for games before they were listed. Collective Shout’s founder, Melinda Tankard Reist, clarified that the effort focused only on games depicting rape and incest, not all adult content, and expected most removed games to return later.
Itch.io later added rules to limit sales of games with adult themes, regardless of context, and explored using different payment processors. However, many developers and users were affected when games were removed without notice, payouts were paused, and previously purchased games became unavailable. Naomi Clark, a game designer and professor, warned that pressure from payment processors could lead to censorship of non-pornographic games, limiting creative freedom. Examples of affected non-pornographic games include Consume Me (which deals with LGBTQ+ themes) and Last Call (which explores domestic abuse and recovery).
Due to the Online Safety Act 2023, Itch.io blocked UK users from accessing NSFW content without age verification starting July 25, 2025. Itch.io remains a key platform for indie creators, hosting events like game jams and supporting a dedicated community of niche developers.