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Itch.io says it has removed “a couple terabytes” of AI-generated material as the number of game pages created each day on the platform roughly doubled between Aug. 3 and Oct. 30. The store is expanding AI disclosures and search filters, but says first-time uploaders—not bulk uploads—are driving the increase.
Indie game storefront Itch.io says it has deleted “a couple terabytes” of AI-generated material and is expanding disclosure rules and search filters as new game-page creation on the site roughly doubled over three months. The company said the growth was driven by first-time uploaders, while downloads and purchases did not show a comparable rise.
A graph posted by Itch.io showed game pages being created each day rising from just over 3,000 on Aug. 3 to more than 6,000 on Oct. 30. The company did not report a similar increase in downloads or purchases. When asked on Bluesky whether it knew the reason for the rise, Itch.io replied, “Take a guess.” The implication was that generative AI tools were contributing, but the post did not quantify what share of new pages used AI.
Itch.io said it had removed “a couple terabytes” of AI-generated content, without specifying a timeframe, a precise volume, or how it identified the material. The company also said it had de-indexed a set of near-identical games uploaded in bulk after a user drew attention to them. Itch.io said that kind of bulk upload violates its existing content guidelines, but stressed that it was not the main source of the broader increase.
The store is extending AI disclosure requirements to its tabletop games, books, comics and soundtracks categories. Creators must say whether they used AI tools and how, even if they later edit out the generated material. Itch.io also said it is adding generative-AI disclosure filtering to more parts of the site, including search results, so users can filter what they see.
How New Filters Could Change Search
The upload rise puts pressure on a storefront built around independent and small-scale creators: a larger volume of listings can make it harder for players to find games, and for developers to reach audiences. Itch.io’s own graph indicates that more pages are being created without a matching increase in purchases or downloads, though it does not establish why individual users are uploading or how many listings are AI-generated.
Expanded disclosures and search filters offer users a way to distinguish listings based on whether creators report AI use, while letting the platform retain content rather than prohibit it outright. The policy also gives buyers more information across non-game categories. It may not satisfy people who want a complete ban, and it depends on creators accurately reporting their use of AI.
Moderation also has practical costs. Itch.io has not published staffing or expense figures, but removing large volumes of material and reviewing listings require resources. Its approach combines existing rules against certain bulk uploads with broader disclosure and filtering, rather than a blanket ban on AI-generated content.
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A Surge in Itch.io Listings
The issue surfaced after Itch.io published a graph showing daily game-page creation over the period from Aug. 3 to Oct. 30. Kotaku reported the chart’s endpoints as just over 3,000 and above 6,000 pages per day. Those figures describe page creation, not necessarily completed or released games, and the report does not provide a breakdown by AI use.
Itch.io already had content rules that it said apply to bulk uploads. In the example that prompted discussion, one account had filled much of a page of uploads with near-identical AI-created games. The company said it removed those listings from search, but clarified that bulk uploaders were not behind the overall rise. It described the increase as coming from first-time uploaders.
The platform’s response comes amid wider discussion of generative AI on game storefronts. The source report also notes increased demo volume at Steam’s Next Fest and Epic Games’ stated support for developers’ freedom to use AI. Those comparisons provide industry context; the figures and new measures at issue here concern Itch.io.
““Take a guess.””
— Itch.io, replying on Bluesky to a question about the increase
What the Upload Figures Do Not Show
Itch.io has not published the share of new listings made with AI, the number of listings removed, or a precise accounting of the “couple terabytes” it says it deleted. The graph measures pages created per day; it does not show how many became playable games, how many were AI-generated, or whether the same creators later removed or revised their pages.
The company said first-time uploaders drove the rise, but has not explained how it reached that conclusion or what kinds of AI tools those creators used. It is also unclear how the new disclosure rules will be checked, what action may follow a missing or inaccurate disclosure, and when the expanded search filters will be available across the site.
Disclosure and Search Changes Ahead
Itch.io says it is expanding AI disclosure filtering to additional site areas, including search results, and applying disclosure requirements to tabletop games, books, comics and soundtracks. The company has not provided a rollout schedule or further detail on how users will operate the filters.
Creators and users will be able to see how the new requirements work as they take effect. Itch.io may also face further questions about moderation and disclosure enforcement, but the company has not announced a full ban on AI-generated content or a date for additional policy changes.
Key Questions
How much AI-generated content did Itch.io remove?
The company said it removed “a couple terabytes”. It did not give an exact volume or say what period that figure covers.
How much did game-page creation increase?
Itch.io’s graph showed daily page creation rising from just over 3,000 on Aug. 3 to more than 6,000 on Oct. 30. The figures track page creation, not verified game releases.
Is Itch.io banning AI-generated games?
No blanket ban was announced. The measures described are expanded disclosure requirements, search filtering and moderation under existing rules, including rules against certain bulk uploads.
Who does Itch.io say is driving the increase?
Itch.io said the rise is driven by first-time uploaders, not bulk uploaders like the account that posted near-identical titles. It has not published a breakdown showing how many of those new pages use AI.
Source: kotaku.com
