Funko Reacts as Itch.io Recovers Post AI Brandshield Shutdown

Funko has now responded to the temporary shutdown of the indie game marketplace site Itch.io, which was allegedly caused by its affiliated brand protection software. Read on to discover Funko's official statement and what they are doing to address the situation!

Funko Clarified That They Did Not Request Full Takedown

Now In Private Talks With Itch.io

Collectibles company Funko has issued a public response to the Itch.io takedown via its official X (formerly Twitter) account. In their statement, Funko expressed their "deep respect and appreciation for indie games, indie gamers, and indie developers," emphasizing their admiration for the creativity and passion that fuel the indie gaming community.

Funko acknowledged that their brand protection partner, BrandShield, identified an Itch.io page that was "imitating the Funko Fusion development website." As a result, a takedown request was issued for that specific page. However, Funko clarified that they did not request a takedown of the entire Itch.io platform and were pleased to see the site restored by the morning.

They have reached out to Itch.io to discuss the issue further and expressed their gratitude for the gaming community's understanding as they work through the details.

However, Itch.io’s owner, Leaf, provided additional context on Hacker News, stating that the situation was not merely a "takedown request" but a "fraud and phishing report." This report was sent to both the site's host and registrar, leading to an automated system taking down the entire domain, despite Leaf's prompt action to remove the offending content. Furthermore, it was reported that Funko's team even contacted Leaf's mother about the incident, a detail not mentioned in Funko's official statement.

For a deeper dive into this incident, you can refer to Game8’s earlier article on Itch.io’s shutdown.