Japanese indie developer and YouTuber Nupuryu has recently disclosed that their financial institution is declining to process an international payment from the entity publishing their game. The banking institution has not provided any explanation for this refusal.
Nupuryu is the mind behind Ruins Seeker, an adult-themed action RPG that first appeared on Japan’s DLsite platform in 2019, with Steam and GOG versions following in 2020. The current problem concerns the Steam edition, which is handled internationally by US-based publishing house Kagura Games.
According to a statement from the developer on July 30, Rakuten Bank, a major Japanese online banking service, has halted a remittance (presumed to be connected to earnings from game sales) from their overseas publisher. “I suspect it’s their policy to reject international payments tied to R-rated games. This is part of what’s known as the debanking issue, but information about it is scarce. I’ll share any updates I receive,” they explained.
In a subsequent update, Nupuryu noted they visited their bank to address the matter and submitted a copy of their publishing contract which outlines the terms and the game title. Despite this, Rakuten Bank informed the developer of their decision to deny the transaction. Nupuryu shared a screenshot of an email from Rakuten Bank’s international transfer monitoring team, stating, “After our review, we cannot accept this incoming payment from abroad. We regret any trouble, but we will initiate a refund to the sender.”
Furthermore, the bank clarified it is “unable to reveal the specific reason for the denial,” leaving the developer with limited options for resolution. Nupuryu’s situation is part of a growing trend of debanking incidents. In May, Japanese indie creator Mousou no Mayu was blocked from receiving a payment linked to Steam earnings from an all-ages adaptation of their adult game. During that instance, the developer was questioned about whether the income came from a game with young characters, and the bank cited a “thorough review of the game’s content” as the basis for rejection.
Likewise, Mai Itsuki from adult game studio Ren shared in April that their bank had ceased all dealings associated with income from foreign versions of their games, citing “particular risks.” The decision stood even after the developer presented evidence of their business’s legitimacy and a year-long history of selling their games in the US without complications. It’s worth observing that these cases involved different banks, suggesting this isn’t isolated to one institution’s policy against transactions involving adult games.