Square Enix Accuses Developer of Stealing Assets for Mecha Game

by

Summary

  • Square Enix is suing BlackJack Studio for reusing assets from the canceled Front Mission 2089: Borderscape in its game Mecharashi.
  • The company wants BlackJack Studio to remove all infringing content, including mechanics and visuals, and seeks $150,000 per infringement.
  • Mecharashi does not currently have a release date.

It appears that Square Enix is taking legal steps against BlackJack Studio, a developer they collaborated with to create a new game within the Front Mission series. As reported by Square Enix, it seems that the Chinese studio incorporated assets initially developed for the scrapped project, Front Mission 2089: Borderscape, in their strategy RPG titled Mecharashi.

For three decades, Square’s “Front Mission” video game series has been a mainstay, with its debut occurring exclusively in Japan for the Super Famicom in 1995. Today, the franchise counts 15 titles, but only seven have seen release beyond Japanese borders. In 2022, Square Enix unveiled “Front Mission 2089: Borderscape,” a new installment being developed in collaboration with BlackJack Studio. However, this project was unexpectedly scrapped, leaving long-time fans of the series disheartened. Recent developments have shed light on BlackJack Studio’s current project, and the company is facing controversy over certain assets within the game.

Based on reports by Polygon, citing Square Enix, BlackJack Studio’s upcoming October 2024 game titled Mecharashi was developed utilizing assets derived from their licensing agreement for the Front Mission series. Now, Square Enix is filing a lawsuit against BlackJack Studio, claiming they’ve reused assets initially created for the canceled Front Mission 2089: Borderscape. The lawsuit asks for $150,000 per infringement and demands the court to order the removal of all infringing content, including mechanics and visuals. The complaint presented by Square Enix includes 11 pages of screenshots highlighting numerous similarities between the Front Mission 2089: Borderscape trailer and images from Mecharashi. Initially, Steam removed the game listing due to the lawsuit, but it has since been reinstated.

Square Enix Sues BlackJack Studio for Reused Assets in Mecharashi

BlackJack Studio revealed “Mecharashi” not long after the cancellation of “Front Mission 2089: Borderscape.” They characterized the game as a strategic turn-based title with a mecha theme, much like the combat in the “Front Mission” series. As of now, there is no set release date for the game, and it remains uncertain whether the project will be completed due to recent controversies.

Despite the ongoing legal issues, Square Enix continues to work on numerous significant projects. The anticipated Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake’s success has left fans yearning for a confirmed release date for the Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, slated for 2025. Moreover, details about the upcoming Dragon Quest 12 and any updates on Kingdom Hearts 4 are highly anticipated, with only scant information available since their respective announcements in April 2022 and no release windows announced yet.

Read More

2025-03-20 18:17