Funko Responds as Itch.io Recovers from Shut Down by AI-Powered Brandshield

Funko has issued a statement regarding the temporary shutdown of Itch.io, allegedly caused by their 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 Subsequent Actions

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

They've initiated private discussions with Itch.io to address the situation and appreciate 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" sent 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 remove the offending page. Leaf also notes, unmentioned in Funko's statement, that Funko's team contacted his mother.

For further details on the Itch.io shutdown, refer to Game8's previous coverage.