Funko Responds to Itch.io Shutdown Caused by BrandShield
Indie game marketplace Itch.io experienced a temporary shutdown, allegedly triggered by Funko's brand protection software, BrandShield. Funko has since issued a public statement clarifying their role in the incident.
Funko's X (formerly Twitter) post emphasized their respect for the indie game community. They confirmed that BrandShield flagged an Itch.io page mimicking a Funko Fusion development site, resulting in a takedown request. Crucially, Funko stated they did not request a complete platform takedown and expressed relief at Itch.io's swift restoration. They are now in private discussions with Itch.io to resolve the issue.
However, Itch.io's owner, Leaf, offered a different perspective on Hacker News. He described the action not as a simple takedown request, but a "fraud and phishing report" sent to both the hosting provider and registrar. The registrar's automated system reacted by taking down the entire domain, despite Leaf's immediate action to remove the offending page. Leaf also noted, in a detail omitted from Funko's statement, that Funko contacted his mother.
For further details on the Itch.io shutdown, refer to Game8's previous report.
