Oxenfree is reportedly being completely removed from Itch.io in October. Developer Night School Studio, which was purchased by Netflix in 2021, shared the news in an email sent to Itch.io users whose library includes the 2016 adventure game. That email was then posted on Reddit.
Notably, the message states that people who own Oxenfree will have until October 1, 2024, to download the title so they can retain access.
“Oxenfree will no longer be available on itch.io beginning October 1, 2024. If you have already downloaded the game, you’ll be able to keep it and continue to play from your downloaded files. If you have not already done so, you can download files until October 1, 2024 to keep the game,” reads the email.
“Everyone who worked on Oxenfree deeply appreciates the support from our community over the past eight years and we hope to see you on another service or timeline soon. Thank you! If you have questions or need additional support for Oxenfree, please visit our support website.”
Why is Oxenfree vanishing from the platform?
It’s unclear why Oxenfree is being removed from Itch.io. The title remains available on other PC platforms such as Steam and the Epic Games Store. Its sequel, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals, released last year and was also brought to other platforms despite being a Netflix Games first-party project.
At the time of writing, attempting to access Oxenfree or Night School Studio’s developer page on Itch.io results in an error message. “This game has been restricted by the author and can not be downloaded,” it reads. “The owner of the page must give permission to those they wish to access the page. If you think this is a mistake, please get in touch with support.”
Game Developer has reached out to Netflix and Night School Studio for comment.