Dark and Darker’s developer hasn’t given up hope the game will eventually return to Steam. Ironmace’s lawyers asked Valve to reinstate Dark and Darker in April, and Park recently indicated that the company would keep trying. “We cannot ignore the largest PC storefront in the world,” the Ironmace executive wrote in an email to PC Gamer. Its removal from Dark And Darker Gold Steam is also the main reason Ironmace delayed Dark and Darker’s early access release until today.

Ironmace’s legal predicament stems from Nexon’s accusation that Ironmace’s employees stole assets from a canceled game called P3 before leaving to make Dark and Darker. Ironmace denies using copyrighted material, with the Dark and Darker developer calling Nexon’s allegations baseless. The studio’s lawyers went so far as accusing Nexon of “anti-competitive bully tactics” and attempting to bankrupt Ironmace. Park reiterated his denials in the letter to PC Gamer, though it’s unlikely that Dark and Darker will return to Steam until the lawsuit is resolved.

Dark and Darker is out now in early access on PC.

Dark and Darker Devs Ask Valve to Allow the Game Back on Steam

Lawyers for Dark and Darker developer Ironmace write to Valve disputing the game’s DMCA takedown notice and asking to be allowed back on Steam.

Promotional artwork for Dark and Darker

In the latest step in the developer’s ongoing legal fight over its medieval multiplayer game Dark and Darker, lawyers for Ironmace have sent a letter to Valve asking for the game to be allowed back on Steam. Late last month Dark and Darker was removed from Steam following a DMCA takedown notice issued by Korean publisher Nexon which claimed that the fantasy-themed battle royale title was using stolen assets.

With its dark fantasy setting and a gameplay loop that blends elements of dungeon crawlers and battle royale games, Dark and Darker quickly caught the attention of some gamers looking for a break from the glut of military-themed shooters. Although the game’s Escape from Tarkov-influenced action drew rave reviews from many players during alpha playtesting, developer Ironmace ran into legal issues when former publisher Nexon accused it of stealing assets from its canceled game P3. In a dramatic escalation of the dispute between the two companies, the Dark and Darker developer was raided by South Korean police in early March, with reports revealing that police confiscated materials from Ironmace as part of buying Dark And Darker Gold their investigation.