The summary of ‘What happened to Dark & Darker?’

The video discusses the rise and controversies surrounding the game "Dark and Darker" on Steam, which faced legal battles and accusations of stolen assets from Nexon, leading to uncertainty about its release. Iron Mace Studios, formed by ex-Nexon employees, continues game development despite ongoing legal disputes. They position themselves as underdogs against Nexon, emphasizing ethical game development practices. The community supports Iron Mace, anticipating the game's success. The video expresses hope for the success of "Dark and Darker" and encourages more developers to explore similar genres like dungeon diving loot extraction games. The segment concludes with optimism for the game's future and updates on its return to Steam.

00:00:00

In this part of the video, the transcript discusses the rise of the game “dark and darker” on Steam following successful Alpha testing, peaking at nearly 100,000 concurrent users. The game reimagined the extraction shooter genre with swords and magic in a fantasy setting, offering players a dungeon diving adventure with deadly traps and creatures. However, controversy arose when Nexon accused the game of containing stolen assets and being a rip-off of their own game in development, P3, due to similarities in structure and mechanics. This led to a DMCA claim against “dark and darker” by Nexon, creating uncertainty about the game’s future release.

00:03:00

In this segment of the video, it is discussed how Nexon launched investigations, legal actions, and lawsuits against Iron Mace Studios due to disputes over the game Project P3. Team members left Nexon due to disagreements on development and monetization plans, forming Iron Mace Studios to create their own game, Dark and Darker. Nexon alleges that assets from P3 were used in Dark and Darker, while Iron Mace denies this, stating their assets are from Unreal Engine or made in-house. The case is ongoing in Korean courts, with Nexon accusing Mr. Choi of stealing code and assets. The debate over stolen assets and trade secrets is central to the criminal case, with Nexon seeking criminal consequences while Mr. Choi denies the allegations.

00:06:00

In this part of the video, it is discussed that Nexon has a criminal case and a civil suit against Iron Maiden Studios, trying to prevent the distribution of their game “Dark and Darker” in the West. Despite this legal battle, Iron Maiden Studios continues game development, conducting successful play tests with over 80,000 players via torrent. The tests featured new maps, classes, weapons, and bug fixes, demonstrating ongoing progress. Recent updates include the introduction of a Warlock class, map updates, new weapons like drums, and gameplay showcases. Despite legal complexities, game development is progressing positively, with ongoing legal back and forth and an arrest warrant for Mr. Choi that has been dismissed.

00:09:00

In this segment of the video, Iron Mace has responded with a massive 25-page document in the ongoing civil case against Nexon and Mr. Choi in the US. The outcome of the legal battles will impact the release of their game, Dark and Darker. Iron Mace is positioning themselves as the underdog against Nexon, emphasizing their veteran developer team and their stance against exploitative practices in the gaming industry. Their game, Dark and Darker, is yet to release, and the final monetization method is uncertain. The community largely supports Iron Mace due to the positive reception of their game and their anti-exploitative stance, contrasting with Nexon’s practices.

00:12:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the controversy surrounding Iron Maid Studios and Nexon regarding the development of the game Dark and Darker. The speaker expresses support for Iron Maid Studios and criticism towards Nexon for potentially using stolen assets in the game’s development. They highlight the legal and ethical issues involved, mentioning the cancellation of Dark and Darker by Nexon and the subsequent speculation about its future release. The speaker emphasizes the ongoing legal battles and uncertainties, including the impact on the game’s development timeline.

00:15:00

In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the game Dark and Darker and its legal issues, expressing hope for its success and the developers winning their case. They mention an alternative game called Dungeon Stalkers and hope that more developers will create similar games due to the evident demand for this genre. The speaker encourages other developers to explore the concept of dungeon diving loot extraction games and expresses optimism for the future of this type of gameplay. The segment concludes with a message of continued updates on Dark and Darker and anticipation for its return to Steam.