Needless to state the Nexon stuff looms large over everything relating to this game

A mere 10 days ago, developer Ironmace Games announced the delay of Dark and Darker Gold's early access release—news that had been not-unexpected given its rolling legal dispute with Nexon. There is a not-insignificant chance because of this legal battle that, even though this game is really a real thing (and we've played it), it will not ever go to a full release.

We'll reach the details on the dispute but, soon thereafter it began, Ironmace started then paused a GoFundMe campaign to assist with its legal battle. "The reality in the situation is always that their objective is to bleed us dry in the courtroom fees," said the developer, plus there is no doubt Nexon has got the kind of serious resource that can do such a thing with a smaller studio. Ironmace needs cash wherever it could get it.

This may well be why you can buy a dark and darker gold coins-themed coffee set for an activity you may never play. It's a team-up with coffee brand Madrinas and features a wooden tankard, a tub of dark roast instant coffee, plus a bag of darker roast (edit) coffee beans for $49.99 (plus exorbitant shipping). It seems to get been an excellent wheeze anyway, as the box set has sold out and you can only choose the coffees separately.

Dark and Darker fans are roughly broken into two camps. There are the die-hards who regard Ironmace because a little guy fighting big bully Nexon, and also have rushed to aid this. Then there's a fatalistic crew who ponder whether they'll ever view the game and whether Ironmace is taking this fight seriously or maybe making as much as it may, as fast as it could, prior to wheels being removed. One wag asked Ironmace detail was a similar coffee served at Nexon.

Needless to state the Nexon stuff looms large over everything relating to this game. Short version: The game was a result of release during the early access in April or May, its demo would be a major hit at Steam Next Fest, and after that its dispute with Nexon intensified and Ironmace was issued which has a cease-and-desist. Nexon says Dark and Darker will depend on concepts and assets the developers, formerly of Nexon, stole in one of its canceled projects.

Following this, the demo was taken out of Steam, while using the next playtest build due to BitTorrent (really), while Ironmace's studio was raided by police before it accused Nexon of "nothing greater than anti-competitive bully tactics created to put a compact indie firm belly up." The fans are certainly much on Ironmace's side here, these are major allegations coming from a giant publisher, which means you may not wind up where public opinion is hoping. We'll keep close track of Dark and Darker and, when the worst relates to the worst, I'm sure the tankard does similar in results a job at holding sorrow-drowning whiskey.