Skip to main content

Browse GamesGame JamsUpload GameDeveloper LogsCommunity
Indie game storeFree gamesFun gamesHorror games
Game developmentAssetsComics
SalesBundles
Jobs
TagsGame Engines
hechelion58 days ago (1 edit)

This topic has been discussed several times on the forum.

Long story short, the server automatically quarantined the game. Normally, it will be reviewed by someone on staff after a while.

If the person reviewing it confirms that there is nothing wrong (a false positive), the game will be removed from quarantine and everything will go back to normal.

What exactly triggers this? It has never been discussed publicly, to prevent bad actors from trying to take advantage. So there is not much we as developers can do except wait.

You can try to contact support and send any information that might help them, but you must contact support, as this forum is answered by the community and not by Itch support.


Edit:

Having the application signed does not guarantee anything, it can help prevent the Microsoft security window from appearing, but it does not guarantee that you will not trigger the Itch quarantine again.

Reply
BubbleBloat58 days ago (1 edit)

And there is really no way to prevent this from happening ? For instance isn't there any way to post the game update files in advance to check whether the detection algorithm "approves" the files or not ?
As a more concrete example :  On youtube I think it's possible to first keep a video private for some time so that the algorithm can check it first to make sure it can be monetized. Then only the creator makes his video public, and the algorithm check was already done so he knows there shouldn't be any problem. I'm wondering if something similar would be possible here.

I understand their detection algorithm obviously can't be disclosed, but it's kind of a problem to have the page completely cut from its visibility for creators, especially soon after launch. And that's without mentionning the creepy warning for viewers + it discloses "connected regions" of the page owner which is concerning for privacy as well.

Reply
hechelion58 days ago

As far as I understand and what has been discussed in other posts, no, there is no way to prevent this.

As you noticed, Itch does not inform you if your game is quarantined, so uploading it privately first would not do you any good, because you would not know if the game was approved or not.

Also, not knowing the algorithm, we also do not know if it is influenced by users, for example, a sudden increase in downloads, maybe a group of people reported it, etc.

I understand how frustrating it is if you are a legitimate developer, but without data from Itch I cannot say if the measures are good or bad.
I assume that they do not inform you to prevent bad actors from automating processes that seek to break Itch's system and I assume that the cases of false positives will be a small number compared to the benefit they bring.

Reply
BubbleBloat57 days ago

Page is finally back ! Thank you very much for your answers.

Really wish there was a way to prevent this, I guess I'll just have to pray that each new update goes fine now (or just not update recently released games at all).

Reply
No Time To Play43 days ago

While the automated checks are secret like hechelion said, please make sure you follow the quality guidelines, in particular point 1: avoid publishing your page before it's ready. I suspect a lot of people get impatient, and it could be a reason why this keeps happening.

Reply
BubbleBloat43 days ago

Maybe it was unclear, but the game was initially made for a game jam, so.......... It gets published when the deadline of the jam is reached (doesn't really have anything to do with impatience in my case).

I also recently got an answer to my ticket from the support, and apparently it could have been caused by the fact I had an other page of the same game with restricted access for private testing purposes ? I  am not totally sure, tho. Either way, the sanction from the algorithm was a bit disproportionate compared to the reason it got flagged in the first place. If I can suggest an idea, having different degrees of flagging before putting a page in quarantine  could be a better solution ?

Reply
redonihunter43 days ago

There is a different degree. Being not indexed.

Reply
AboutFAQBlogContact us
Copyright © 2024 itch corp · Directory · Terms · Privacy · Cookies