Thanks for sharing that info, I appreciate and expect itch.io to support us in this matter.
Taking away something we purchased is theft, plain and simple. We will not excuse a thief simply because he stole our car parked on the street rather than from our garage.
Can I save the installer due to how itch.io operates? Yes, of course, but that wasn't my intention when I paid for this game. It was part of the "Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality" and that's how I obtained it. I bet many others of the 814,526 contributors are in the same situation, and unless they have saved the 1,741 items included in the Bundle, we expect to have access to any of those 1,741 items the day we need them. Period.
If the store/dev/pub don't want want to take on that responsibility, they should have considered it before engaging in online sales. It's too late for regrets or asking for magic solutions to make problems dissapear without consequences. What a convenient way to enjoy all the sweet benefits of online sales while neglecting their responsibilities.
Has anyone ever heard of a customer regaining access to all his previous purchases for free again because he forgot to use a strong password (instead of "123456") and someone easily stole his account? Of course not, we understand our responsibilties and we take care of them.
Now, let's flip the situation: Why should we accept this individual taking away our property?
If the developer is playing the smart guy taking away our money, we could easily play the smart guys too seeking out his work without paying. Who ultimately loses more? Reputation worths and respect is a two way street.