Ironmace's 'Dark and Darker,' which is embroiled in a copyright dispute with Nexon, was suddenly removed from the Epic Games Store, one of its main service channels.
The Ironmace 'Dark and Darker' operations team noted on the 6th through their Discord channel, "Epic Games has decided to remove 'Dark and Darker' from the store," adding that it appears to have been based on claims made by the other party in the ongoing legal dispute (Nexon Korea), and they are verifying the exact reasons for the action.
In fact, on this day, 'Dark and Darker,' which was previously available for free download on the Epic Games Store, has been removed and cannot be found. However, the paid version, which allows full use of game features, is still available for purchase.
Ironmace explained, "In preparation for the possibility that 'Dark and Darker' can no longer be played on the Epic Games platform, we are working on an alternative plan to ensure that players can continue to enjoy the game."
Nexon has been in a legal battle since 2021, claiming that Mr. Choi, who previously worked as the head of team for the new development division's 'Project P3,' illegally leaked source code and data to a personal server, established Ironmace using the stolen materials, and developed 'Dark and Darker.'
The Seoul Central District Court ruled on the 13th of last month in the first instance of a civil lawsuit that Ironmace must compensate Nexon for the trade secret infringement damage amounting to 8.5 billion won. The first instance court determined that the 'P3' game information qualifies as a trade secret and is worthy of protection.
However, the court ruled that 'Dark and Darker' did not infringe on Nexon's copyright for 'P3,' rejecting Nexon's request to suspend 'Dark and Darker' services. Both parties have filed appeals with the court.
Meanwhile, KRAFTON, which had a licensing agreement with Ironmace and was developing 'Dark and Darker Mobile,' announced after the first instance ruling that it would terminate the contract and completely revamp the game title under a new brand.