Checkpoint’s Queer Game of the Month: August 2025 – Five queer (and some NSFW) games desperately in need of your love

We’re currently in worrying times. Last month, payment processors, along with Visa and Mastercard, requested (and succeeded in) the removal and delisting of NSFW games across platforms like Steam and itch.io following pressure from conservative organisations and collectives. However, it’s worth noting that Mastercard has been denying such claims. LGBTQ+ games have been caught in the firing line, even if they’re not featuring 18+ content. 

This has affected many game developers’ livelihoods and incomes, putting both queer creatives and queer representation in danger. Every month, we highlight a Queer game that’s worth checking out. This month, we thought we’d do something different and recommend five queer (and some NSFW) games desperately in need of your love. 

It’s worth noting that ‘delisting’ on itch.io means it’s harder for games to be searched for and, in some cases, might not be located without a direct link. Purchase availability may vary for these games, so we’ve also provided as many relevant links as we can.

Without further ado, let’s get stuck in.

SLASHER U: AN 18+ DATING HORROR GAME

“SLASHER U is a horror-comedy dating sim RPG with full-blown sex mechanics, tons of heartwrenching romance and friendship storylines, and a wicked sick 90’s theme sure to make even the most deep-fried saw dungeon aesthetics/dick jokes fans jealous.”

SLASHER U is a game that knows its audience. It knows how much of the horror fan base is queer, and it knows how hot you find characters such as, say, Ghost Face or Jason Voorhees. SLASHER U is made by a trans developer and hones in on making an RPG with unique mechanics while striving to please a hell of a specific audience. In the middle of all this, it manages to squeeze in time to intimately explore gender, romance and sexuality, depicting it in a fluid, thoughtful and complex manner with many moving parts. It’s absolutely worth your time, but obviously goes without saying it’s NSFW.

Developer: Suited Devil
Genre: Visual Novel/RPG
Queer Representation: Queer relationships, trans developer, and explores many LGBTQ themes in its writing
Links: Steam listing | itch.io listing | Developer’s BlueSky account

GENDERWRECKED

“GENDERWRECKED is a post-apocalyptic genderpunk visual novel about traveling broken lands and kissing/fighting/talking to monsters in an attempt to learn the true meaning of a mysterious force called GENDER.”

GENDERWRECKED is a compelling narrative game all about the alien and mysterious beast that is gender. It artfully uses body horror to explore gender identity in memorable and palpable ways. All while this complex exploration of what it means to be transgender or live with gender dysphoria or have dissociation/depersonalisation, you’re engaging in making out with the Sun, romancing a robot dad, being mean to a tree and even adopting one hundred and fifty-nine meaty boys. An acid-drenched dream-like experience of themes you simply don’t get to see enough of in games, GENDERWRECKED is a must-play.

Developer: Gendervamp
Genre: Visual Novel
Queer Representation: Trans developers, Queer romances, complex and detailed themes of gender exploration and identity.
Links: itch.io listing

The Hayseed Knight

“A ragtag band of misfits tell the unlikely tale of a one-eyed farmboy’s accidental rise to fame in this fully voice-acted and animated picaresque visual novel.”

The Hayseed Knight first came to our attention when forming a trans game list earlier this year. What an artful journey that game is. The Hayseed Knight manages to burst with style and be incredibly vibrant, depicting a well-developed high-fantasy world with non-human characters, also exploring neurodivergent and queer representation and how that would look in such a world. Think Redwall if it were queer. Check it out, already!

Developer: Maxi Molina (MaxiMJdev)
Genre: Visual Novel
Queer Representation: Trans masculine solo developer, queer characters in its cast, key theme of how queer identities intersect with race and privilege
Links: Steam listing | itch.io listing | Max Molina’s BlueSky account

NSFWare

(no trailer on YouTube, you can probably imagine why)

“WarioWare meets Pornhub.”

It’s what it says on the tin, but it sure is novel! Following a set of keyboard prompts with the directional buttons, you must assist in simulating sex acts in quick succession, often with pixelated queer characters. Framing a nude that you’re taking on a phone just right, flexing for a selfie, punishing a partner… the opportunities are endless! To be short, sometimes a simple idea is all you need to make something worth playing. Goes without saying, but yes, it’s NSFW.

Developer: PierreC
Genre: Microgames
Representation: Queer sex, need we say more?
Links: itch.io link | Developer’s Bluesky account

He Fucked the Girl Out of Me

“A game about sex work and trauma.”

A bite-sized semi-autobiographical exploration of transgender identity, sex work, trauma and how the three can intersect. A thoughtful and emotional story that can be completed in one sitting, either in-browser or even on a Game Boy. It’s a must for those wanting to experience writing that challenges or explores something entirely new. It’s NSFW. It’s award-winning for a reason.

Developer: Taylor McCue
Genre: Visual Novel
Queer Representation: Follows the story of a trans sex worker
Links: Steam listing | itch.io listing | Developer’s self-hosted listing of the game | Developer’s BlueSky account

And there you have it. Five queer games in need of your love at the moment, but of course, the well goes so much deeper than that. Hundreds upon thousands of queer games and game developers are being affected at the moment by the harsh rules in place by payment processors. If I might share some advice, advocate for supporting queer games where you can. Share some with a friend, buy games and support developers where you can. Hopefully, the next time we have to do a list like this, it’s under less tumultuous circumstances.

After more queer games? Why not check out our prior Queer Game of the Month articles? Or even the 90+ trans games article we did earlier this year? Feel free to also share some of your favourite queer games with us below.