Square Enix has sued a studio for reusing assets from a cancelled Front Mission game
, by Thibaut
Back in April 2022, Square Enix and BlackJack Studio announced they we're working together on Front Mission 2089: Borderscape. Unfortunately, the mobile game was eventually cancelled, and the contract between the two companies expired the following October.
However, on March 13, the Japanese publisher decided to lodge a complaint in Seattle against the developer. It accuses the developer of having reused assets from the cancelled title without authorization in its new title called Metal Storm.
Square Enix believes that BlackJack Studio "deliberately and intentionally copied protectable expression from the Licensed Game in Metal Storm, including but not limited to mecha designs, characters, game mechanics, and other creative elements". The Japanese firm is seeking "maximum statutory damages of $150,000 for each copyright infringed."
Finally, the publisher also filed a complaint with the Tokyo District Court on March 5. This is on the grounds of "nfringement of its intellectual property rights in Front Mission 2089: Borderscape pursuant to the laws of Japan".
Source: videogameschronicle.com