Funko has addressed the temporary suspension of the Itch.io indie game marketplace, allegedly triggered by its brand protection software. Here's Funko's statement.
Funko Clarifies: No Full Platform Takedown Requested
In an official X (formerly Twitter) post, Funko expressed its support for the indie gaming community, stating its appreciation for indie games, gamers, and developers. They confirmed that a brand protection partner, BrandShield, flagged an Itch.io page mimicking the Funko Fusion development website, leading to a takedown request. Crucially, Funko emphasized that they did not request a takedown of the entire Itch.io platform and were relieved to see the site restored quickly.
Funko is now in private discussions with Itch.io to resolve the matter and thanked the gaming community for its understanding.
However, Itch.io's owner, Leaf, provided further context on Hacker News, revealing the takedown stemmed from a "fraud and phishing report," not just a simple takedown request. This report was sent to both Itch.io's host and registrar, resulting in the automated shutdown of the entire domain, despite Leaf's immediate action to resolve the issue. Leaf also noted, in a detail omitted from Funko's statement, that Funko's team contacted his mother.
For a comprehensive overview of this event, refer to Game8's previous report on Itch.io's temporary shutdown.
