The upcoming smartphone adaptation of the eagerly awaited hack 'n slash extraction dungeon crawler, currently known as Dark and Darker Mobile, is reportedly undergoing a significant transformation. Recent developments indicate that Krafton is not only considering a name change for the game but is also terminating its agreement with Ironmace Studio.
This news arrives at a challenging time for Ironmace, as they have recently been mandated to pay $6 million in damages to Nexon due to an ongoing lawsuit. The lawsuit stems from Nexon's allegations that Ironmace, founded by former Nexon employees, utilized trade secrets from a cancelled project codenamed P3 to develop Dark and Darker.
Despite Krafton's assertion that the name change is unrelated to the lawsuit ruling, they have also announced the termination of their global licensing agreement with Ironmace. Consequently, Dark and Darker Mobile, or whatever it may be renamed, will proceed as a fully standalone release.
The ethical implications of this lawsuit are complex, particularly given that Ironmace initially filed a suit against Nexon for copyright infringement. The irony is palpable as Krafton, despite ending their partnership, appears poised to rebrand and continue with the project. This move suggests that the genre's market is ripe for expansion, regardless of the ongoing legal battles.
For fans eagerly awaiting Dark and Darker Mobile, the situation isn't necessarily dire. Krafton has confirmed that they will adhere to the previously announced global release schedule. However, should there be any alterations or further developments, we will keep you updated.
We remain hopeful that the full launch of Dark and Darker Mobile will uphold the high standards we lauded in our review.
