A developer of adult-themed games alleges that SubscribeStar has implemented a "soft ban" on their explicit content game

The creator of the adult-themed game Degrees of Lewdity alleges that their account has faced a "soft ban" on the subscription service SubscribeStar, suggesting the involvement of conservative activists as a possible cause.

While the page remains accessible, it no longer appears in search outcomes for the game's title. Moreover, users who locate it cannot make payments or offer support to the developer.

"My Subscribe Star page has been soft banned, if that's the term," Vrelnir mentioned on their blog. "Although the page exists, I'm unable to receive support or payments, and posting updates is restricted. I've reached out for clarification but haven't heard back yet.

"I suspect this might be related to recent efforts, especially in the UK, to limit access to adult content as part of wider internet privacy and freedom issues," they continued (thanks, TheGamer). "This forms part of a global movement to regulate the content people are allowed to access and develop. Reports suggest activist groups are driving this, alongside companies like Mastercard and Visa urging government intervention."

The mention of the UK likely refers to the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA), which is reportedly prompting studios to rethink game elements due to new OSA regulations.

GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to SubscribeStar for their comment and plans to update the article upon receiving a response.

Recently, platforms such as Steam and itch.io have implemented significant changes under pressure from payment processors and conservative groups to oversee adult content. In July, itch.io removed adult NSFW content from visible search results following a request from Collective Shout, which targeted high-level executives at companies like PayPal, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and Japan Credit Bureau (JCB).

Additional insights on these developments are available in our feature on the crackdown on adult content by Steam and itch.io. We recently noted that Valve does not seem to allow early access releases for games with mature content anymore.