Takii Noame, a Japanese indie game developer known for creating yuri visual novels, recently revealed that they would be delaying the release of their newest game due to challenges in receiving income from previous titles sold on Steam. The problem stems from domestic banks refusing to process international payments from their publisher.
Takii Noame is the mind behind the adult-focused Ne No Kami series, which features two games, as well as the all-ages Watamari series, currently comprising one game with a forthcoming (now delayed) sequel. Both collections are distributed worldwide on Steam by Sekai Project.
The developer explained that as banks have recently tightened their scrutiny of international transactions to combat money laundering, their bank, SBI Shinsei Bank, requested documentation regarding their financial dealings. After providing the necessary paperwork, the bank concluded that “some of the earnings were linked to adult-oriented (yuri) content” and declined to proceed with the transfers. Takii Noame confirmed receiving this notification directly via telephone.
Subsequently, the developer asked their publisher to attempt transferring only the funds from their all-ages Steam games (the Watamari series) through Japan Post Bank. However, this effort was also rejected after another review and request for documentation. Japan Post bank did not specify a reason for the refusal, and Takii Noame characterized the decision as puzzling due to the absence of adult content.
The developer has been working to resolve this issue for the past month. Recently, they managed to open an account at a different bank and receive international transfers from their publisher, albeit in limited amounts. “Currently, I’m not only unable to access revenue from past titles, but I’m also in a position where income from new releases won’t reach me either, so this is my top priority,” they stated on X. As a result, they have postponed the release of Watamari Part 2 – A Fake Marriage?, originally set for an August launch, by two months.
The trend of banks cutting off services to adult game developers in Japan has been a growing issue lately, with various banks implicated in nearly every instance. Indie creators and studios such as Ren, Mousou no Mayu, and Nupuryu have faced similar difficulties, with blocked income often accompanied by tax-related complications.