Itch.io Restored After Temporary Shutdown Due to Alleged Phishing Report from Funko

Itch.io experienced a temporary outage on December 9, 2024, but has since been restored to full functionality. The issue arose after Funko, the company behind Funko Pop figurines, allegedly submitted a takedown request due to a purported phishing report generated by its 'AI-powered' brand protection software, Brand Shield. The report was sent to Itch.io's registrar, iwantmyname, which subsequently disabled the domain despite Itch.io's response. However, the situation was quickly resolved. The cause of the phishing report remains unclear, but it occurred shortly after Itch.io introduced a policy requiring developers to disclose the use of generative AI in their games. Following the incident, Funko released a statement claiming its takedown request was aimed at a specific page on Itch.io that was imitating the Funko Fusion development website. Itch.io confirmed the removal of the disputed page and acknowledged that its registrar's automated system likely disabled the domain due to the takedown notice. Both parties have expressed a desire to engage with each other to resolve the issue.