UK users trying to browse NSFW game developers on Itch.io are hitting an unexpected wall. The indie games marketplace has started blocking access to adult content creator profile pages for anyone connecting from the United Kingdom. Individual adult games might still work after entering your age, but the creator profiles themselves stay completely hidden.
The restrictions kicked in around early August and appear to affect any developer who publishes adult or NSFW content on the platform. Users report being unable to view creator pages even after passing age verification checks for specific games. The profile pages simply won’t load from UK IP addresses, making it impossible to discover other titles from the same developers.
This selective blocking creates a strange situation. You can still reach individual adult games through direct links and access them after typing in your birthday. But the moment you try to check out the creator’s profile to see what else they’ve made, you hit a dead end. The discovery aspect that makes Itch.io special for indie developers essentially breaks for UK-based fans of adult content.
The timing lines up with the UK’s Online Safety Act coming into force. The law requires platforms to implement “highly effective” age verification for pornographic content, which typically means more than just asking users to confirm they’re over 18. Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has been pushing platforms to tighten their age checks or face potential penalties.
Rather than building complex ID verification systems, Itch.io seems to have chosen a simpler approach. By blocking creator profiles while keeping some game pages accessible behind basic age gates, the platform reduces its regulatory risk without completely cutting off UK users from adult content.
This split approach affects both creators and players in meaningful ways. Adult content developers lose a major discovery avenue for UK audiences, potentially impacting their sales and visibility. UK players, meanwhile, need to rely on external links and recommendations since they can’t browse creators’ catalogs directly on the platform.
The great British block party
Other platforms have taken similar steps when faced with age verification requirements. Major adult sites have completely blocked access in some US states rather than collect government IDs from users. The pattern suggests many platforms prefer limiting access over dealing with the privacy and security headaches that come with storing sensitive identification documents.
For now, UK users looking for adult content on Itch.io will need to adapt to this fragmented experience. Direct links still work for individual games, but the days of freely browsing NSFW creator profiles from British IP addresses appear to be over. Whether Itch.io will eventually implement full ID verification or maintain these restrictions remains unclear.
