Dark and Darker Early Access Hits a Roadblock Amidst Legal Tussle with Nexon
- May 11, 2023
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![Dark and Darker Early Access Hits a Roadblock Amidst Legal Tussle with Nexon](/images/uploads/blog/60/dark-and-darker-early-access-hits-a-roadblock-amidst-legal-tussle-with-nexon.png)
Ironmace's highly anticipated Dark and Darker early access release has hit an unexpected speed bump, as the studio's ongoing legal dispute with Nexon casts a dark cloud over the game's future. However, Ironmace remains undeterred, urging fans to "hold the line just a little longer" as they work tirelessly to ensure the game reaches players as soon as possible.
Dark and Darker quickly garnered a massive following during the Steam Next Fest, despite being an alpha test and not quite ready for primetime. As the game's popularity skyrocketed, so did the intensity of the legal battle between Ironmace and Nexon, the latter accusing the studio of using stolen concepts and assets from one of its canceled projects. Consequently, this has led to the removal of the game's demo from Steam, forcing Ironmace to distribute its final pre-early access playtest build via BitTorrent.
While Ironmace has finally fired back at Nexon, labeling the allegations as "anti-competitive bully tactics," they find themselves entrenched in a high-stakes legal battle against a formidable gaming giant. This David vs. Goliath scenario has certainly put a damper on Dark and Darker's early access release, which was expected to land sometime in late April or early May, with a full launch slated for Q4 of this year.
In conclusion, though the public sentiment seems to be on Ironmace's side, the harsh reality is that the small studio is facing serious accusations from a major game publisher. Ironmace's focus, understandably, has shifted towards addressing the legal dispute rather than meeting an arbitrary release target for Dark and Darker. As fans eagerly await further updates on the game's early access release, the battle between Ironmace and Nexon rages on, throwing a shroud of uncertainty over the future of this highly anticipated game.