Funko Applauds Itch.io's Restoration with AI Assist

Funko has issued a statement regarding the temporary shutdown of Itch.io, allegedly caused by its brand protection software, BrandShield. The company emphasizes its respect for the indie gaming community and clarifies its role in the incident.

Funko's Statement and Ongoing Dialogue with Itch.io

Funko's official X (formerly Twitter) post expresses its appreciation for indie games and developers. They acknowledge that BrandShield flagged an Itch.io page mimicking the Funko Fusion development website, leading to a takedown request. Crucially, Funko states they did not request a full platform takedown and are pleased Itch.io is operational again.

Funko is now in private discussions with Itch.io to address the situation and appreciates the community's understanding.

However, Itch.io owner Leaf's Hacker News post provides a more nuanced account. He describes the action not as a simple takedown request, but as a "fraud and phishing report" submitted to both the hosting provider and registrar. The registrar's automated system responded by taking down the entire domain, despite Leaf's immediate action to resolve the issue. Leaf also notes, unmentioned in Funko's statement, that Funko's team contacted his mother.

For a comprehensive overview of the incident, refer to Game8's previous article on Itch.io's shutdown.