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

Funko Responds to Itch.io Shutdown Caused by BrandShield

Collectibles giant Funko has addressed the temporary shutdown of the indie game marketplace Itch.io, an incident allegedly triggered by their brand protection software, BrandShield. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Funko expressed their strong support for the indie gaming community, emphasizing their respect for indie developers and gamers.

Funko clarified that while their brand protection partner, BrandShield, issued a takedown request for an Itch.io page mimicking the Funko Fusion development website, they did not request a full platform takedown. They expressed relief that Itch.io was quickly restored and stated they are now in private discussions with Itch.io to resolve the issue. They also thanked the gaming community for their understanding.

However, Itch.io owner Leaf offered a different perspective on Hacker News. He revealed the incident wasn't a simple takedown request, but rather a "fraud and phishing report" sent to both Itch.io's host and registrar. This report, according to Leaf, triggered an automated takedown of the entire domain, despite his immediate action to remove the offending page. Leaf also noted, in a detail omitted from Funko's statement, that Funko's team contacted his mother regarding the incident.

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