Itch.io Adds Search Filter for AI Disclosures

Itch.io is preparing to introduce a new search option that will let users filter out projects carrying generative AI disclosures, a move aimed at improving discovery for players who want to browse games made without AI-generated content. The update comes as the platform acknowledges that its previous approach to moderating this material was not strong enough to keep pace with the volume of uploads appearing on the site.

For some time, itch.io has faced the same growing problem seen across other open digital marketplaces: a surge of projects that rely on generative AI tools, often uploaded in large numbers and making it harder for smaller handmade releases to stand out. The platform has already used voluntary disclosure as one of its main ways to identify AI-related content, but that system has clearly struggled under the pressure of rapid growth. According to itch.io, the number of new game pages being created each day has doubled over the last two months, making visibility and moderation much more difficult.

In response, the site is expanding its disclosure requirements. Mandatory generative AI disclosure, which had already applied to game assets for some time, will now also cover tabletop games, books, comics, and soundtracks. That means creators in more categories will need to clearly state whether AI tools were used in their projects. Alongside that policy change, the addition of a dedicated search filter should give users more direct control over what they see when browsing the storefront.

This matters because discovery is one of the most important parts of itch.io’s identity. The platform has long been a welcoming place for independent developers, hobbyists, artists, writers, and musicians who want an accessible way to share their work. Many creators use it as a first step into publishing, whether they are releasing a small experimental game, a visual novel, a zine, a soundtrack, or a tabletop project. When large amounts of low-effort content flood the platform, it becomes harder for those creators to reach an audience and harder for users to find original work.

The planned filter is not the same as a total ban on AI-generated content. Instead, it is a practical tool designed to help users sort through the growing volume of uploads. People who do not want to engage with projects that use generative AI will be able to exclude them from search results, while those who do not mind can continue browsing as usual. In theory, that creates a middle ground between unrestricted visibility and outright prohibition.

Even so, the change highlights a deeper challenge. Moderating AI use on a platform like itch.io is far from simple. Unlike massive companies with large moderation teams and extensive technical resources, itch.io operates with a much smaller staff. Enforcing disclosure rules across a huge and fast-growing number of submissions is difficult, especially if some creators choose not to be honest about how their work was made. A disclosure system only works when users comply with it, and any platform trying to police that at scale faces a serious workload.

That is why this update feels less like a final solution and more like a realistic step forward. A search filter can improve the user experience immediately, and broader disclosure requirements can at least create clearer expectations for creators. Neither measure completely solves the problem of mislabeled or undisclosed AI content, but both can reduce some of the pressure currently affecting discovery on the site.

The broader concern for many users is not just the presence of AI-generated material, but the way it can overwhelm spaces built for independent creativity. Itch.io has earned a reputation as a place where unusual, personal, and niche projects can thrive. Its strength has always been openness: giving people a place to experiment, publish early work, and connect with communities that appreciate smaller-scale creations. If that ecosystem becomes buried under waves of mass-produced uploads, the platform risks losing much of what makes it valuable.

For that reason, the upcoming search filter and expanded disclosure rules are likely to be welcomed by many developers and players who want better tools to navigate the site. These changes may not satisfy everyone, especially those calling for stricter action, but they do show that itch.io is actively trying to address a problem that has become impossible to ignore.

The success of these measures will depend on how effectively they are implemented and whether creators follow the rules in good faith. Still, giving users more control over search results is a meaningful improvement. For a platform built around independent expression and discoverability, anything that helps genuine creators remain visible is an important step in the right direction.