This is fifth of ten essays contained within the second issue of the Adult Analysis Anthology, an experimental collection of longform writing that seeks to expand the breadth of critical discourse around adult games and adult game culture. I will be re-publishing the web versions of all essays from the first two issues of the anthology to this blog over the course of the next few months, but if you’d like to support the creation of more high-quality writing about adult games the full anthology is available for purchase on Itch! Anthology logo by Pillow!
Written By: MadCreativity
As the developer of a erotic visual novel, I’ve had my fair share of difficulties when it comes to properly marketing and publishing. Initially deciding to sell it on Steam, Itch.io, and DLsite, I later reached out to Fakku and Kagura Games for the possibility of publishing it there. Throughout my research and interactions, I couldn’t help but notice some incredibly glaring issues that seemed to me to be somewhat discouraging for the sale of games such as my own.
Even just after the release of the demo, we received a few complaints from players who had been expecting a female-on-female game or who wanted an option to make the protagonist male. More surprising, though, was that Fakku, Kagura Games, and DLsite required various states of censorship, with one not even permitting NSFW screenshots on the game page.
The way things currently stand, NSFW games (and porn games, hentai games, etc.) are at a unique disadvantage in the games market. For instance, many platforms and systems, such as Nintendo consoles, downright forbid NSFW games. The same applies to many mobile app stores, resulting in a significant decrease in potential customers. For PC games, there are several different storefronts to choose from. The most popular option is likely Steam, as it has a user-base so large that it borders on a monopoly, with recommendation methods and guaranteed refunds that put it at the top of the industry. For many indie developers, another popular option is Itch.io, for its easy, free uploads. If you make indie games, you’ll probably want your games on at least one of these platforms, if not both.
Continue reading “What Makes A Game Storefront NSFW-Friendly?”