Developer Ironmace Games has delayed the early access release of its mediaeval extraction looter Dark and Darker as it remains embroiled in a legal dispute with Korean game publisher Nexon over “copyright infringement”.
Dark and Darker received a hugely positive reception when it made a Steam Next Fest appearance earlier this year, but things went quickly awry.
In March, Nexon accused Ironmace of “using materials and assets they worked on during their time” at Nexon to create Dark and Darker, soon after issuing a cease and desist demand which resulted in the game’s removal from Steam. This has forced the developer to get creative as it continues to release new playtest builds to players.
Since then, Nexon has formally filed a lawsuit against Ironmace, alleging “copyright infringement” – Ironmace accused it of “anti-competitive bully tactics” in return – and the ramping up of legal action has inevitably further hampered the studio’s early access release plans, which were originally targeting late April to early May this year.