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Itch.io
Itch.io logo.svg
Screenshot
Itch.io homepage screenshot.png
A screenshot of Itch.io in January 2016
Type of site
Video games, ebooks, game assets
Available inEnglish
OwnerLeaf Corcoran
URLitch.io
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional (required to upload content, comment, and join game jams)
LaunchedMarch 3, 2013; 9 years ago (2013-03-03)[1]
Current statusOnline
Written inTypeScript, CSS, HTML, JavaScript,[2] MoonScript[3]

Itch.io (stylized as itch.io) is a website for users to host, sell and download indie games. Launched in March 2013 by Leaf Corcoran, the service hosts over 500,000 games and items (assets, ebooks, music) as of April 2022.

Itch.io also allows users to host game jams, events where participants have limited time (usually 1–3 days) to create a game. Game Off and Game Maker's Toolkit Game Jam have been hosted on Itch.io.

Due to the amount of freedom developers have on Itch.io, it is widely regarded as a good way for new video game developers to practice creating games and start making money from their games.[4] Itch.io's game jams are also seen as a way for new video game developers to get publicity and improve their game developing skills.

History

On March 3, 2013, Leaf Corcoran posted a blog entry to the site leafo.net detailing what the future website would be about, with a pay-what-you-want model. In an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Corcoran said the original idea was not a store but instead a place to "create a customized game homepage".[5] An early inspiration was Bandcamp, a self-publishing site for musicians, and the name itch.io originates from a spare domain that Corcoran had purchased a couple of years prior.[1]

As of June 2015, the service hosted over 15,000 games and programs.[6]

In December 2015, the service announced the release of an open-source desktop application for installing games and other content, as well as keeping existing games and content updated automatically. It was released with simultaneous support for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Linux.[7]

By February 2017, Itch.io had five million downloads.[8]

In support of the George Floyd protests, Itch.io organized the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality in June 2020.[9] It initially launched with over 700 games, but increased to over 1,500 as additional developers offered to contribute.[10][11] In 11 days, the bundle raised US$8.1M for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and Community Bail Fund.[12][13]

In April 2021, Itch.io was made available as an app on the Epic Games Store.[4]

In June 2021, Itch.io launched a bundle for Palestinian aid, from which all proceeds would go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency to assist civilians in the Gaza Strip following the 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis. It included 1,272 items and raised over US$899,778.[14]

In March 2022, Itch.io, partnering with Necrosoft Games along with hundreds of other developers, launched the Bundle for Ukraine; money from this bundle would be donated to the International Medical Corps and Voices of Children to provide assistant to civilians in Ukraine who have been impacted by the Russian invasion. The bundle included 991 works and raised over US$400,000 in 24 hours.[15]

Revenue

The developer can charge money for the games they release onto the platform, and in May 2015, Itch.io paid developers US$51,489.[6] By default, the site takes a 10% cut from each sale,[16] but the developer can choose how much money the site will get per purchase.[17] The developer can set the lowest price for the game (including free), and the customer can pay above that minimum amount if they like the game they are purchasing.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b Ww, Tim (December 1, 2014). "Q&A: itch.io Interview with Leaf Corcoran". Gamasutra. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "itchio/itch". GitHub. Retrieved March 15, 2017.
  3. ^ "Team". Itch.io. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Batt, Simon (April 22, 2021). "Indie Storefront Itch.io Is Coming to the Epic Games Store". MakeUseOf. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
  5. ^ Smith, Adam (April 23, 2014). "The New Curiosity Shop: Itch.io Interview". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved August 17, 2015.
  6. ^ a b Maiberg, Emanuel (June 23, 2015). "Itch.io Is the Littlest Next Big Thing in Gaming". Vice. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  7. ^ Corcoran, Leaf (December 14, 2015). "Say hello to the itch.io app: itch". Itch.io. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  8. ^ Newman, Jared (March 31, 2017). "How Itch.io became an indie PC game haven—and Steam's antithesis". PC World. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
  9. ^ "Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality by itch.io and 1391 others". Itch.io. June 16, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. ^ Fingas, Jon (June 9, 2020). "Itch.io offers 700 games in a pay-what-you-want racial justice bundle". Engadget. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  11. ^ Statt, Nick (June 11, 2020). "Itch.io's amazing 1,500-game charity bundle surpasses $5 million goal". The Verge. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  12. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (June 16, 2020). "Itch.io Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality ends with a stunning $8.1m raised". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  13. ^ Cryer, Hirun (June 16, 2020). "Itch.io's Racial Justice and Equality Bundle Ends With Over $8.1 Million Raised". USgamer. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  14. ^ "Indie bundle for Palestinian Aid by Tybawai and 1063 others". Itch.io. June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  15. ^ Bains, Callum (March 8, 2022). "Get 1,000 games for $10 including Superhot and Celeste, to support Ukraine". TechRadar. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  16. ^ Cameron, Phill (March 23, 2015). "Itch.io launches open revenue sharing". Gamasutra. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  17. ^ Nutt, Christian (September 16, 2014). "Game jams aside, Itch.io's doing brisk business distributing games". Gamasutra. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  18. ^ Sinclair, Brendan (March 24, 2015). "Itch.io lets developers dictate revenue share". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved August 18, 2015.

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