Yoko Taro, the mastermind behind the critically acclaimed NieR series, has publicly called out payment processing giants Visa and Mastercard for what he describes as dangerous overreach in the digital marketplace. Taro recently voiced concerns about these companies pressuring Japanese adult content platforms to restrict or remove certain types of content.
The outspoken game director didn’t mince words, describing the situation as a “security hole that endangers democracy itself.” His criticism centers on how these payment processors can effectively decide what content is allowed to be sold based on their own standards rather than actual laws.
“A private corporate duopoly with unchecked regulatory powers not based on law, but the moral whims of the company is a threat to democracy,” Taro stated, highlighting how these companies can dictate content availability without any democratic oversight.
The issue strikes at the heart of Japan’s robust adult game and visual novel market, where many small developers and publishers rely on specialized online platforms to sell their content. When payment processors threaten to cut off services, these businesses have few alternatives due to Visa and Mastercard’s dominant market position.
This isn’t the first time payment processors have flexed their muscles to influence content. In recent years, several adult content platforms worldwide have faced similar pressures, with some forced to drastically alter their business models or remove substantial portions of their content libraries after payment services threatened withdrawal.
For developers in Japan’s adult game scene, this creates an uncertain business environment where the rules can change suddenly based not on legal standards but on corporate policies. Many studios lack the resources to quickly pivot to alternative payment methods, which themselves often face adoption challenges.
