Itch.io

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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, e-books, game assets
Available inEnglish
OwnerLeaf Corcoran
URLitch.io Edit this at Wikidata
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional (required to upload content, comment, and join game jams)
LaunchedMarch 3, 2013; 8 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. Released in March 2013 by Leaf Corcoran, the service hosts over 400,000 games and items as of August 2021.

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 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 game developers to get publicity and improve their game developing skills.

History[]

On 3 March 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 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 1500 as additional developers offered to contribute.[10][11] In 11 days, the bundle raised $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 $899,000.[14]

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,[15] but the developer can choose how much money the site will get per purchase.[16] 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.[17]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Ww, Tim (1 December 2014). "Q&A: itch.io Interview with Leaf Corcoran". Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  2. ^ "itchio/itch". GitHub. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  3. ^ "Team - itch.io". itch.io. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Indie Storefront Itch.io Is Coming to the Epic Games Store". MUO. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-10.
  5. ^ Smith, Adam (23 April 2014). "The New Curiosity Shop: Itch.io Interview". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
  6. ^ a b Maiberg, Emanuel (23 June 2015). "Itch.io Is the Littlest Next Big Thing in Gaming". Vice. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Say hello to the itch.io app: itch". Itch.io. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
  8. ^ Newman, Jared. "How Itch.io became an indie PC game haven—and Steam's antithesis". pcworld.com. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality by itch.io and 1391 others". itch.io. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
  10. ^ Fingas, Jon (8 June 2020). "Itch.io offers 700 games in a pay-what-you-want racial justice bundle". Engadget.
  11. ^ Statt, Nick (11 June 2020). "Itch.io's amazing 1,500-game charity bundle surpasses $5 million goal". The Verge.
  12. ^ Yin-Poole, Wesley (16 June 2020). "Itch.io Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality ends with a stunning $8.1m raised". Eurogamer.
  13. ^ Cryer, Hirun (2020-06-16). "Itch.io's Racial Justice and Equality Bundle Ends With Over $8.1 Million Raised". USgamer. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  14. ^ "Indie bundle for Palestinian Aid by Tybawai".
  15. ^ Cameron, Phill (23 March 2015). "Itch.io launches open revenue sharing". Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  16. ^ Nutt, Christian (16 September 2014). "Game jams aside, Itch.io's doing brisk business distributing games". Gamasutra. UBM TechWeb. Retrieved 18 August 2015.
  17. ^ Sinclair, Brendan (24 March 2015). "Itch.io lets developers dictate revenue share". Gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 18 August 2015.

External links[]

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