In the sprawling, often chaotic, yet endlessly innovative landscape of independent video games, discoverability is currency. A game can be a masterpiece, a critical darling, and a commercial success, but if it cannot be found, it might as well not exist. This harsh reality has recently cast a long shadow over Mouthwashing, a psychological horror title that garnered overwhelming praise in 2024, only to find itself paradoxically hidden from general view on the indie game marketplace, Itch.io.
The Sweeping Hand of Content Control
The root of this vanishing act lies in a broader industry shift, ostensibly aimed at curbing `Not Safe For Work` (NSFW) content. Major platforms like Itch.io and Steam, under pressure from payment processors and certain advocacy groups – notably Collective Shout – have begun to de-index or delist games perceived to fall under this umbrella. The intention, one might argue, was to target overtly sexual content. The execution, however, has proven far less precise.
This is not merely an abstract policy change; it has tangible consequences for creators. Martin Halldin, who contributes to audio and music for Wrong Organ, the developer behind Mouthwashing, confirmed on Bluesky that the game had indeed been de-indexed from Itch.io`s search results. While the game remains accessible via direct link, its effective invisibility to casual browsers or those actively searching for new horror experiences poses a devastating threat to its continued reach and commercial viability for a small, independent team.
Mouthwashing: A Case of Mistaken Identity?
Wrong Organ’s Mouthwashing is a poignant case in point. Hailed for its immersive psychological horror and unique PSX-era aesthetic, the game quickly amassed an `Overwhelmingly Positive` rating on Steam from over 28,000 players, earning numerous year-end accolades. Its content warnings are stark, explicitly detailing the presence of `extreme violence, gore, mutilation and worse on PSX-style characters.` Yet, crucially, it contains no pornography and is not sexually explicit.
This distinction is vital. The game is mature, unsettling, and intentionally visceral, but it is not sexual. It defies the very category it has been swept into, much like an abstract painting being censored for `nudity` when it merely depicts raw human emotion. The advocacy group`s declared focus on preventing the depiction of `sexual abuse` in games has seemingly induced a much broader push to `de-risk` from all adult content, no matter its subject matter. As a result, horror games and other titles depicting subjects far afield from anything sexual have found themselves caught in this ever-widening net.
The Chilling Effect on Indie Creativity
For an independent developer, discoverability is paramount. While Mouthwashing might still be accessible if one possesses the precise URL, its absence from search results on a platform like Itch.io is akin to a best-selling novel being removed from library shelves – you can acquire it if you know it exists and where to find it, but new readers will simply never encounter it. This quiet digital disappearance effectively strangles an indie title’s growth, cutting off the oxygen supply of new players.
This situation signals a chilling effect, not just on adult-themed games, but potentially on any content that pushes boundaries, explores uncomfortable truths, or depicts the grittier aspects of the human condition, regardless of sexual content. When platforms, under external pressure, broaden their definitions of `undesirable` content, the potential for self-censorship among creators becomes a significant concern. Developers might opt for safer, less challenging themes to ensure their work remains discoverable, thereby stifling innovation and artistic expression in the medium.
The Battle for Digital Freedom
The current wave of de-indexing illustrates a broader and perhaps more insidious trend: payment processors, the silent gatekeepers of online commerce, are increasingly becoming de facto arbiters of content. Their `de-risking` policies, driven by pressure from activist groups, threaten to homogenize artistic expression, favoring the bland and inoffensive over the challenging and thought-provoking. This has understandably ignited a passionate response from developers, players, and civil liberties organizations alike.
Those affected are not standing idly by. Developers and fans of de-indexed games have been attempting to organize counter-pressure to encourage payment processors to reverse their stance. Civil liberties NGOs, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have already joined the fight, soliciting signatures for petitions, for instance, against Mastercard. The fight, it seems, is far from over, with petitions and counter-pressure campaigns gaining momentum.
A Precarious Balance
The curious case of Mouthwashing serves as a potent reminder that the digital storefronts we rely on are not neutral ground. They are battlegrounds where artistic freedom, commercial viability, and societal mores intersect. As the lines blur between content moderation and outright censorship, the gaming community and indeed, all creators of digital content, must remain vigilant. The question isn`t just about what games get removed, but who gets to decide, and what kind of vibrant, challenging, or even uncomfortable art we might lose in the process.
The future of digital expression hangs precariously in the balance, a balance that requires careful, informed, and truly ethical stewardship to ensure that innovation and artistic integrity can continue to thrive, even in the realm of the profoundly unsettling.
