https://steamcommunity.com/app/377200/eventcomments/3182360899408322499?snr=1_21...

Could this mean that the rights are reverting back to the dev next month and we could finally see the prequel here on Itch?

Yes.

(Might not happen instantly, I haven't touched the code in 4+ years and it needs to be ported to GameMaker Studio 2 before I can release it - I lost the original binaries and releasing them probably would be sketchy legally as well so I've got two reasons to remaster the game a bit)

So a small update on this: I've lost the main code repository as well, it turns out. I've got backups, but it's gonna add some extra complications to the refactoring and porting work. I'm also in the process of moving to the other side of the country and in the last months of crunch before deadline at my day job, so there's plenty of distractions. I can't really make a more optimisting release date promise than "sometime in 2022, unless something goes terribly wrong". But I'll keep everyone updated!

(There's plenty of quality-of-life and asset improvements in the sequel that I want to reuse for the remake of the first game too, so it's not gonna be a lazy asset-flip port job)

I`ll hope that the prequel is released again soon. I bought the sequel in a bundle, and only now i discovered that 1st one was retired from steam. It seems a really nice game. 

Where can we ask questions on DDG1? I've been posting on Steam but don't know if that gets checked.