Dark and Darker Mobile is facing a name change as Krafton terminates its agreement with Ironmace. While Krafton denies a connection, this action follows a recent court ruling ordering Ironmace to pay Nexon $6 million in damages. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Ironmace, founded by former Nexon employees, used trade secrets from a cancelled Nexon project (codenamed P3) to develop Dark and Darker.
Despite Krafton's statement, the termination of their global licensing agreement suggests a deeper link to the lawsuit. This means Dark and Darker Mobile, under its new name, will be a completely independent release. The irony is not lost that Ironmace initially sued Nexon for copyright infringement. Now, even after severing ties, Krafton appears poised to proceed with the game, essentially rebranding and continuing development.
This situation raises ethical questions, but it also opens the floodgates for similar game releases. For fans, the good news is that Krafton intends to maintain the previously announced global launch schedule for Dark and Darker Mobile (or its successor). However, we'll provide updates should any changes occur. We hope the final release maintains the high quality we noted in our review.