Itch.io Removes Terabytes of AI Spam and Tightens Discovery Rules

Itch.io, a website where creators publish and sell PC games, says it has removed a couple of terabytes of AI-generated spam. It also says bulk uploads of AI-made games will be de-indexed, meaning they will stop appearing in the site's listings.

The site has grown quickly. Itch.io says it is home to over 1 million projects, and it reports that the number of new game pages created each day has doubled from 3,000 to 6,000 over the last two months, according to GameSpot. In a post on Bluesky on Oct. 31, the company had already said daily page creation had doubled since August 2026.

The rules are not a blanket ban on AI. Itch.io's quality guidelines say the use of AI in a game is allowed if it is clearly stated and adds substantial value to the player experience. Creators are asked to tag their use of generative AI, the kind of software that produces text, images or other content, accurately. The guidelines also warn against uploading excessive amounts of automatically generated content.

Enforcement works through discovery. Projects that follow the guidelines can appear in browse, search and recommendation features. Projects that do not can be removed from the discovery index, either by the site's systems or by a moderator. A removed page stays reachable through its direct web address or its creator's profile page, but it no longer shows up in listings.

Itch.io plans to expand a filter that lets visitors hide games disclosing generative AI use. It will be added to more sections of the site, including the search results page. The company wrote on X that it has had an AI spam clause in its guidelines for more than two years, so the latest steps build on a rule already in place.

For players, the change will mostly be felt in what appears when they search or browse. Creators who have made games with AI tools will need to label that use clearly to stay visible in those listings. Itch.io has not said how many pages it has de-indexed so far.