I just wanted to mention this: Both PayPal and Stripe transactions apply a fee of $0.30 + 2.9% per transaction. The default share for itch is 10% of the original asking price, I believe - but developers can change that. All without factoring in additional fees (like British pound to US dollars). If every free game left their suggested donation at $2 how generous does that “journalist” think either independent developers or their customers would have to be to arrive at that number?
The fact of the matter is, that “optional donation” in the majority cases translates to “free game”.