Journal
Industry reference, craft essays, guides, recommendations, interviews and devlogs on adult games.
Adult browser games: how they work, where they run and what to watch for
Adult browser games run in a web page with nothing to install. How they work after Flash, why they suit phones, how saves are stored, and the risks.
GuidesDLsite vs Steam for adult games: how the two stores differ
DLsite and Steam compared for adult games: what each sells, how each handles adult content, payments, censorship and regional blocks, and which suits whom.
IndustryDoes Patreon allow NSFW content? The 2026 rules for adult creators and games
Yes, Patreon allows NSFW and adult content on pages marked Adult/18+. What the 2026 rules allow, what is banned everywhere, and what game developers must check.
IndustryWho is Collective Shout? The group behind the Steam and itch.io campaign
Collective Shout is the Australian campaign group whose 2025 letter to payment companies led to adult games being removed from Steam and hidden on itch.io.
GuidesKinetic novel vs visual novel: what the difference is
A kinetic novel is a visual novel with no choices. What that means, where the term comes from, and how both differ from dating sims and light novels.
GuidesThe AO rating explained: what Adults Only means and why almost no game has it
What the ESRB's AO (Adults Only 18+) rating means, how it differs from M, why consoles and shops refuse AO games, and what it means for adult games on Steam.
DevlogWhy Wildheart Sanctuary went from eight characters to three
A devlog on cutting scope: why the first release has three deep characters instead of eight shallow ones, and why the other five will be added free.
IndustryAre adult games harmful? What the research says
What studies have found about sexualised games, sexist attitudes, explicit media and compulsive use, how strong the evidence is, and what it cannot tell us.
CraftHow to make an adult game: engines, stores, payments and the law
A practical guide to making an adult game: choosing an engine, the legal lines, store and payment rules, funding, age gates and labelling, with sources.
GuidesFree adult games: where to play them legitimately
Where to find free adult games without piracy: itch.io, Steam, Newgrounds, free-to-play platforms, demos and public builds, and how to avoid the risky sites.
GuidesAdult games on Android and iPhone: why the app stores don't carry them
Why Google Play and the App Store ban adult games, how they reach phones anyway through the browser, APKs and EU marketplaces, and the risks of each route.
GuidesHow to see adult games on Steam
How to enable Adult Only games on Steam in the browser and the app, what each mature content filter does, and why some players still cannot see them.
GuidesAdult visual novels: a beginner's guide
What an adult visual novel is, how AVNs play, how Japanese and Western ones differ, what all-ages versions and patches are, and where to find them.
GuidesNSFW games: what the label means on Steam, itch.io and other stores
What NSFW games are, where the term comes from, how it differs from adult and mature, and how Steam, itch.io, Patreon, Newgrounds and DLsite label them.
GuidesWhat are adult games? A complete guide
What adult games are, how they differ from mature games, the main genres, how they are rated and sold, whether they are legal, and how to play them safely.
CraftA short history of adult games, from 1981 to 2026
The history of adult video games and eroge in dated steps: early computer titles, Japan's visual novels, ratings, Steam's 2018 opening and the payment squeeze.
IndustryWhere adult games can be sold in 2026: stores, subscriptions and direct sales
Steam, itch.io, DLsite, Nutaku, Patreon, SubscribeStar and selling direct, compared for adult game developers: what each allows, what it costs, and the risks.
IndustryHow payment processors decide which adult games can be sold
Why payment processors are banning adult content: the Visa and Mastercard rules, the Stripe and PayPal policies, and how they reach game stores.
IndustrySteam age verification and adult games: the rules in the UK, Australia and the US
Why Steam asks UK and Australian players for a credit card before showing mature games, what the laws behind it require, and what they mean for developers.
GuidesIs it safe to buy and download adult games? The main stores checked
Is itch.io safe? Are JAST USA, MangaGamer, DLsite and Nutaku legit? Who runs each store, what the real risks are, and how to check a download.
GuidesEroge, nukige, nakige, galge: adult game terms explained
Plain definitions of eroge, nukige, nakige, utsuge, galge, kinetic novel and the other terms adult games and visual novels take for granted.
IndustryNSFW games removed from Steam and itch.io: a dated timeline
What happened to NSFW and adult games on Steam and itch.io in 2025, in date order: the open letter, Steam's new rule, itch.io's deindexing and what came back.