itch.io is where indie game development lives. Founded in 2013 by Leaf Corcoran, the platform has become the go-to destination for independent developers to publish, sell, and share their games. Unlike Steam or Epic, there’s no curation barrier — anyone can upload a game and start selling (or giving it away) immediately.
What makes itch.io unique is its “pay what you want” model and creator-friendly economics. Developers set their own prices, including free with optional donations. The platform lets creators choose their own revenue share — the default is 10% to itch.io, but developers can set it to 0% or higher as they wish. That flexibility is unheard of in digital distribution.
The platform hosts over 700,000 games and interactive projects, ranging from polished indie titles to experimental art games, game jam entries, visual novels, and tabletop RPGs. itch.io is also the biggest host for game jams — time-limited game creation events — with thousands of jams happening each year. The annual itch.io Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality in 2020 raised over $8 million and included more than 1,700 games.
Beyond games, itch.io also hosts assets, tools, comics, books, and physical game materials. It’s become an entire ecosystem for creative digital works. The platform supports Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and web-based games.
itch.io has intentionally stayed small and independent, prioritizing its community over aggressive growth. It’s not trying to compete with Steam — instead, it’s created a space where experimental, niche, and personal projects can find their audience without the pressures of commercial storefronts.
