Nexon and Ironmace have been embroiled in a three-year legal battle over the copyright of Dark and Darker. (Image courtesy of Ironmace)
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) – Nexon and Ironmace, embroiled in a three-year legal battle over the copyright of Dark and Darker, faced off during the first witness hearings at the Seoul Central District Court on December 17.
The proceedings centered on the development history of Nexon’s shelved Project P3 and its alleged similarities to Dark and Darker.
Nexon claims that a former team leader, identified as Choi, leaked source code and internal data from Project P3 to establish Ironmace and create Dark and Darker.
During the hearing, a witness from Nexon, Kim, who had worked under Choi, testified that Project P3 evolved from Project LF, a single-player game deemed unviable during internal testing. Nexon’s leadership decided to pivot the concept to a multiplayer PvP game.
Kim alleged that Choi later suggested resigning and transferring development data to a personal server, leading to Choi’s dismissal.
In contrast, Oh, a sound developer who transitioned to Ironmace, argued that P3 was discontinued due to Nexon’s internal decisions. He testified that the project direction shifted under a new team leader, who proposed a game inspired by Mexican cartel themes (P7).
Oh asserted that Dark and Darker differs fundamentally from P3, which lacked the escape mechanics central to the former.
Both sides presented conflicting accounts regarding the use of P3 materials, with Nexon maintaining that Dark and Darker reflects proprietary concepts, while Ironmace dismissed such claims as attempts to monopolize common ideas.
The court has scheduled its ruling for February 13, 2024, signaling a decisive moment in a case closely watched by the gaming industry.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
