The game store that outshines Steam by staying small and weird
Leaf Corcoran would rather you didn’t compare Itch.io, his digital marketplace that currently houses around 120,000 games, to Steam, the leading video games distribution platform on PC. “We’re a tiny company, the kinds of games and service are definitely different,” Corcoran tells The Verge. “I like the idea of us providing an alternative thing.”
It’s true: you won’t find the latest triple-A release on Itchio. Best compared to the zine section of a comic book shop, Itchio has nonetheless become the go-to platform for up-and-coming game developers to share their games with the world — and for more established developers to release games that take risks. As of this writing, the Itchio front page features eclectic games such as one where you can go on a beach date, one that generates random homes for you to enjoy, and one where you can play as a frog detective. Dive deeper and you’re sure to find something even more offbeat and unexpected.
“Putting your game on Steam is a gamble,” says an established developer who spoke with The Verge on the condition of anonymity. “It costs money to upload your game and if it doesn’t reach a certain threshold of sales, you don’t get any money at all. Yes, you get exposed to a lot more eyeballs, but the people there are also much more likely to be looking for ‘real games.’ So if your game is weird or simply just not polished to a mirror-shine, then Itch is a much more fitting place for it.”
