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Nexon Sues Dark and Darker Studio Ironmace for Copyright Infringement, Alleged Stolen Assets | MMORP

SystemSystem Member UncommonPosts: 12,599
edited April 2023 in News & Features Discussion

imageNexon Sues Dark and Darker Studio Ironmace for Copyright Infringement, Alleged Stolen Assets | MMORPG.com

A lawsuit filed by Nexon against Dark and Darker developer Ironmace claims source code, art, and other assets were stolen by former staff and incorporated into Dark and Darker.

Read the full story here


Comments

  • KratierKratier Member RarePosts: 626
    we'll never get a clear answer, and nexon will win regardless because they are a huge publisher with unlimited money for lawyers
    i think the ironmace devs are in the clear and they showed enough evidence that the DMCA claim was fraudulent because all the assets were third party store bought assets
    and the article you linked has them trying to copyright a wizard hat and robe, and bags. like come on. show some real evidence of fraud, we know thatll never happen.
  • frenzy2011frenzy2011 Member UncommonPosts: 9

    Kratier said:

    we'll never get a clear answer, and nexon will win regardless because they are a huge publisher with unlimited money for lawyers

    i think the ironmace devs are in the clear and they showed enough evidence that the DMCA claim was fraudulent because all the assets were third party store bought assets

    and the article you linked has them trying to copyright a wizard hat and robe, and bags. like come on. show some real evidence of fraud, we know thatll never happen.



    You obviously need to do more research before making any claim who is in the right here. Its not just about assets. There are good youtube videos that go over the lawsuit and even without being a lawyer myself the evidence is clear enough in Nexons favor here regardless how much you want to believe the Ironmace Devs.
    LeiHngWei
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 927
    edited April 2023
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
    Sometimes we need fantasy to survive reality 
    https://biturl.top/rU7bY3
    Beyond the shadows there's always light
  • VrikaVrika Member LegendaryPosts: 7,989
    edited April 2023
    Polygon published the lawsuit documents:
      https://www.scribd.com/document/638961328/Nexon-Korea-Corporation-v-Ironmace-Co-Ltd

    To me it looks like Nexon is right:
     1. One of Nexon's devs had downloaded prototype files for one of Nexon's projects to his private server
     2. When Nexon wanted to investigate that server to verify that the data hadn't been exported to third party, that dev destroyed all evidence by wiping the server. Nexon fired him
     3. Afterwards a group of Nexon employees from that project left, and together with the fired dev they created Dark and Darker based on Nexon's design choices
    Asm0deusLeiHngWeiAlomar
     
  • QuizzicalQuizzical Member LegendaryPosts: 25,499
    edited April 2023
    Vrika said:
    Polygon published the lawsuit documents:
      https://www.scribd.com/document/638961328/Nexon-Korea-Corporation-v-Ironmace-Co-Ltd

    To me it looks like Nexon is right:
     1. One of Nexon's devs had downloaded prototype files for one of Nexon's projects to his private server
     2. When Nexon wanted to investigate that server to verify that the data hadn't been exported to third party, that dev destroyed all evidence by wiping the server. Nexon fired him
     3. Afterwards a group of Nexon employees from that project left, and together with the fired dev they created Dark and Darker based on Nexon's design choices
    Stealing "design choices" would have to be something awfully specific to be actionable as IP theft.  If they took an exact list of skills or items or some such and used it in their own game, then that would qualify.  But just making something kind of similar would not.
    Raagnarz
  • OG_SolareusOG_Solareus Member RarePosts: 1,041
    There's precedence set for this type of case already. So it will most likely be settled out of court.

    https://www.gamesindustry.biz/tera-lawsuit-settled-between-en-masse-ncsoft
    F2P or DIE !
  • VrikaVrika Member LegendaryPosts: 7,989
    edited April 2023
    Quizzical said:
    Vrika said:
    Polygon published the lawsuit documents:
      https://www.scribd.com/document/638961328/Nexon-Korea-Corporation-v-Ironmace-Co-Ltd

    To me it looks like Nexon is right:
     1. One of Nexon's devs had downloaded prototype files for one of Nexon's projects to his private server
     2. When Nexon wanted to investigate that server to verify that the data hadn't been exported to third party, that dev destroyed all evidence by wiping the server. Nexon fired him
     3. Afterwards a group of Nexon employees from that project left, and together with the fired dev they created Dark and Darker based on Nexon's design choices
    Stealing "design choices" would have to be something awfully specific to be actionable as IP theft.  If they took an exact list of skills or items or some such and used it in their own game, then that would qualify.  But just making something kind of similar would not.
    Nexon's examples looks specific enough: For example Dark and Darker's class list is same as Nexon's project, every one of those classes has very similar appearance to Nexon's classes, and at least in 3 examples provided they have same unique skill.

    Also Dark and Darker seems to have copied same visual style (which in itself is nothing wrong), and then bought Unreal Engine Marketplace assets based on what Nexon bought. They have a lot of identical monster, and for example both games have door that's made through buying same stock asset and then widening that asset. Nexon found Dark and Darker has 2 338 identical file names to Nexon's own project.

    Also Nexon listed a lot of individual solutions that both games share, like both games have the screen turn grayscale when you're stealthing, both games have lit-up potion flask hanging on character's waist, both games have characters sitting in identical positions around campfire, both games use poisonous fog to herd the group of players to desired location in the dungeon, etc.

    Individually every choice made by Dark and Darker is acceptable. But as a whole it looks like they didn't just make something similar, they copied Nexon's design and tried to sell it as their own.
     
  • dinogndinogn Member UncommonPosts: 52
    For those who don't understand the former devs of P3 not only stole the game, at this point we can litterally say Dark and Darker prototype wqs develloped on Nexon's paychek, but when leaving caused the project to be abondoned.

    So it's not about some poor devs that wanted to continue a game cancelled by Nexon, because P3 was APPROVED for devellopement.
  • TheDalaiBombaTheDalaiBomba Member EpicPosts: 1,493
    Vrika said:
    Quizzical said:
    Vrika said:
    Polygon published the lawsuit documents:
      https://www.scribd.com/document/638961328/Nexon-Korea-Corporation-v-Ironmace-Co-Ltd

    To me it looks like Nexon is right:
     1. One of Nexon's devs had downloaded prototype files for one of Nexon's projects to his private server
     2. When Nexon wanted to investigate that server to verify that the data hadn't been exported to third party, that dev destroyed all evidence by wiping the server. Nexon fired him
     3. Afterwards a group of Nexon employees from that project left, and together with the fired dev they created Dark and Darker based on Nexon's design choices
    Stealing "design choices" would have to be something awfully specific to be actionable as IP theft.  If they took an exact list of skills or items or some such and used it in their own game, then that would qualify.  But just making something kind of similar would not.
    Nexon's examples looks specific enough: For example Dark and Darker's class list is same as Nexon's project, every one of those classes has very similar appearance to Nexon's classes, and at least in 3 examples provided they have same unique skill.

    Also Dark and Darker seems to have copied same visual style (which in itself is nothing wrong), and then bought Unreal Engine Marketplace assets based on what Nexon bought. They have a lot of identical monster, and for example both games have door that's made through buying same stock asset and then widening that asset. Nexon found Dark and Darker has 2 338 identical file names to Nexon's own project.

    Also Nexon listed a lot of individual solutions that both games share, like both games have the screen turn grayscale when you're stealthing, both games have lit-up potion flask hanging on character's waist, both games have characters sitting in identical positions around campfire, both games use poisonous fog to herd the group of players to desired location in the dungeon, etc.

    Individually every choice made by Dark and Darker is acceptable. But as a whole it looks like they didn't just make something similar, they copied Nexon's design and tried to sell it as their own.
    And apparently IronMace devs leaving played a role in the cancellation of P3 at Nexon.

    If all of these claims are true, this does not look good for IronMace.
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