In the sprawling, eclectic universe of indie game development, itch.io has carved out a unique space as a haven for niche interests, experimental mechanics, and themes that mainstream platforms often shy away from. Among the thousands of user-curated collections, one title stands out for its specificity and unapologetic focus on a particular set of fantasies and mechanics: "Fat and weight gain - Collection by Piu" .
Furthermore, Piu’s own games (often marked with “by Piu” in the collection) set a high bar. Feeder Marathon , for instance, gamifies the feeding process with competitive leaderboards, quirky power-ups (e.g., “Metabolism Destroyer” or “Liquid Calories”), and a surprisingly charming pixel art style. It doesn’t take itself seriously, and that humor is part of its appeal. Fat and weight gain - Collection by Piu - itch.io
The best interactive fiction in the collection uses weight gain not as the goal , but as a variable that unlocks or locks dialogue options. A character might treat you with respect if you remain thin, or with disgust (or admiration, depending on the fetish angle) if you become large. Your size literally determines your path through the story. The Psychology of the Niche: Why This Collection Exists To the average gamer, "Fat and weight gain - Collection by Piu" might seem bizarre or even uncomfortable. But niche communities thrive on itch.io precisely because they are underrepresented. The weight gain and expansion fetish (often called "WG" or "feederism" in online spaces) has existed in the corners of the internet since the early days of Usenet and DeviantArt. In the sprawling, eclectic universe of indie game
At first glance, the name leaves little to the imagination. This is a collection of games, interactive fiction, and visual novels centered around the themes of weight gain, body expansion, and the aesthetics of fatness. But to dismiss it as mere fetish material would be to ignore the deeper nuances of what Piu—a prolific creator and curator on the platform—has assembled. This article explores the collection, its context within the broader "expansion" genre, the mechanics at play, and why such a niche has found a dedicated, thriving audience on itch.io. The collection is exactly what it says on the tin. Curated by a user named Piu (who is also a game developer known for titles like Feeder Marathon and Inflation Simulator ), this public itch.io collection aggregates a variety of free and paid games, demos, and assets that all share a central mechanical or thematic pillar: a character’s body mass increasing over time as a result of eating, a magical accident, a science experiment gone wrong, or a deliberate lifestyle change. Feeder Marathon , for instance, gamifies the feeding
Piu’s collection, however, is consistently labeled with clear on itch.io, including “weight gain,” “eating,” “body expansion,” and often “fantasy/unrealistic proportions” to distinguish the games from real-life body issues. Most entries are explicitly fictional or exaggerated (characters growing to immobile sizes, magical inflation, impossible calorie counts). This fantasy framing is crucial; it moves the content away from medical advice or lifestyle advocacy and into the realm of fetish art.
The collection also includes – free-to-use sprite bases, sound effects of eating, and calorie counter scripts – which encourages other developers to create even more games in the niche. This turns the collection into a small ecosystem, not just a playlist. Controversy and Content Warnings It would be disingenuous to ignore the potential criticism of this content. Fetishization of weight gain can intersect with unhealthy attitudes toward food and body image. Real-world obesity is a complex medical issue, and some argue that gamifying it trivializes health risks.