Struggles Persist for Murky and Darker as Story Video Games Store Faces Challenges Again
By The studio is “endeavoring to comprehend the specific rationale behind this withdrawal.”
A year after developer Ironmace succeeded in reinstating its free-to-play medieval extraction looter Dark and Darker on various digital platforms following a protracted legal struggle with South Korean gaming firm Nexon, it has been removed once more, this time from the Epic Games Store.
Dark and Darker’s legal problems commenced in 2023 (shortly after its demo gained some attention on Steam) when Nexon accused Ironmace of violating copyright, asserting that members of the development team had utilized “materials and assets they crafted during their tenure” at Nexon to create Dark and Darker – a claim Ironmace consistently refuted.
As the serious allegations continued to escalate, Nexon issued a cease and desist order that forced the game off Steam, but circumstances seemed to improve for Ironmace after a court dismissed Nexon’s request for an injunction last January. By March, Dark and Darker was launched on the Epic Games Store and it eventually returned to Steam in June – however, it appears that the cycle is starting anew, with Dark and Darker now being removed from the Epic Games Store.
In addressing the situation in a communication shared on the official Dark and Darker Discord (as noted by PCGamesN), developer Ironmace stated, “The decision seems to rely on claims made by opposing entities in an ongoing legal matter. We are actively working to clarify the precise reasoning behind this withdrawal.”
“It appears that the withdrawal process is not yet fully finalized,” the studio added, “as Dark and Darker is currently unavailable, but Dark and Darker: Legendary Status is still up for purchase. Please be mindful of this possible confusion.”
Ironmace did not specifically name the opposing parties in its “ongoing legal matter,” but these latest developments are likely related to the studio’s dispute with Nexon, which reached another milestone earlier this year. In February, a South Korean court ruled that Ironmace had not committed copyright infringement with Dark and Darker, as Nexon had claimed – but the studio was not entirely exonerated. The court also found that Ironmace had violated Nexon’s trade secrets, ordering the studio to pay approximately $6 million USD in damages.
At that time, Nexon remarked that it “planned to pursue further legal action.