Source: Aftermath
Itch.io's decision to allow AI-generated games without meaningful curation has flooded the platform with auto-generated submissions that devalue discovery for indie developers and players. The pattern mirrors YouTube and Steam: open policies toward generative content create a commons problem—the cost of uploading approaches zero, while finding quality content grows harder. For indie game discovery, curated alternatives and niche communities now compete on the promise of quality, reversing the network effects that once made itch.io dominant.