Dark and Darker devs get court-ordered to pay $6m USD to Nexon after copyright dispute

The recent legal battle between Dark and Darker developer Ironmace and Nexon has concluded with a mixed verdict. While the court cleared Ironmace of copyright infringement, it did find the studio guilty of trade secret violations. As a result, Ironmace has been ordered to pay a significant amount in damages to Nexon.

The sum that Ironmace has to pay Nexon can’t be taken lightly. In this article, we have shared everything we know so far about the court war between the Dark and Darker developer and Nexon.

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Dark and Darker devs will be paying a whopping $6 million in damages to Nexon

Official gameplay screenshot (Image via Ironmace)

The dispute dates back to 2021, when Nexon filed a lawsuit against Ironmace, accusing the developer of using internal data from Nexon’s unfinished project, Project P3, to create Dark and Darker.

Nexon claimed that Ironmace, formed by former Nexon employees, had illegally used proprietary code and assets. However, the Seoul Central District Court ruled on February 13, 2025, that no copyright infringement occurred. The court concluded that Dark and Darker did not breach Nexon's copyright for Project P3.

Despite this victory, Ironmace wasn't fully off the hook. The court found that the studio did violate Nexon’s trade secrets, which are defined as valuable, confidential information that is not publicly accessible.

Official gameplay screenshot (Image via Ironmace)

The court determined that Ironmace had improperly gained access to Nexon’s trade secrets, leading to the creation of Dark and Darker. As a result, the court ordered Ironmace to pay 8.5 billion KRW (approximately $5.9 million) in damages.

The damages are to be paid in installments, with an initial payment of 1 billion won ($690,000) due in March 2024. The remaining amount, with additional penalties for delay, is to be paid starting in June 2024.

Although the court ruled in favor of Ironmace regarding copyright, Nexon has indicated that it will continue to pursue legal action in higher courts. The company stated that the damages awarded in this case highlight the importance of protecting trade secrets to maintain fair market competition.

Meanwhile, Dark and Darker remains active, with a solid player base and positive reviews on Steam. With the upcoming Dark and Darker mobile, the title may find new momentum despite these losses.