It seems the “Mal Reynolds” who issued Steam sport Void Battle with a DMCA takedown was not a troll who additionally occurred to be a large fan of Firefly. It was really Warhammer 40,000 proprietor Games Workshop, which took difficulty with a picture of a shoulder pad.
Final month, IGN reported on Void Battle, a technique sport dubbed ‘FTL in a Warhammer 40,000 pores and skin,’ after it was pulled from Steam. On the time, its developer, Tundra Interactive, advised it might have been on the receiving finish of a nuisance DMCA takedown from a troll claiming to be Games Workshop.
Void Battle is commonly in comparison with each indie darling FTL and Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop’s tabletop wargame set in the grim darkness of the far future — and it’s straightforward to see why. The gameplay appears to be like extremely much like Subset Games’ vastly widespread 2012 ‘spaceship simulation roguelike-like,’ and the aesthetic could be very Warhammer 40,000. The voidships appear to be Imperial Navy Vessels. Some of the characters appear to be House Marines. There’s an precise Psyker that’s known as a Psyker. There are “Imperial Shrineworlds.” There’s even a point out of “Imperial astrogation authorities.”
Following the takedown, IGN requested Tundra Interactive for remark, and it responded with one thing fairly uncommon. It stated that it had obtained a takedown discover from Valve stating that Games Workshop itself had claimed copyright infringement. However right here’s what made this one odd: the claiming info got here from Games Workshop’s public-facing infringements inbox and the title “Mal Reynolds.”
Mal Reynolds is a title that might be immediately acquainted to Firefly / Serenity followers, as a result of that’s the title of the principle character, performed by Nathan Fillion, in the beloved however short-lived sci-fi present. On the time, it was thought that it was unlikely that Games Workshop would have somebody on its books named Mal Reynolds. However, properly, it seems Games Workshop actually was behind the takedown, in response to Tundra Interactive.
Tundra Interactive informed IGN that Games Workshop finally replied to the developer to substantiate it was their discover, and that the priority was restricted to a particular shot from one of the trailers on the Steam retailer web page that it stated may give the impression that Void Battle was related to Games Workshop. The corporate specified that the component in query was “the outsized convex shoulder pads with a metallic rim.” And, properly, yeah, that Void Battle trailer did certainly have a picture of a character who appeared a lot like a House Marine, full with “outsized convex shoulder pads with a metallic rim.”
Tundra Interactive informed IGN that it disagreed with Games Workshop’s evaluation right here, however in order to get Void Battle again on Steam and to keep away from a drawn out DMCA battle, it pulled the trailer. It might re-upload it in the long run after making an adjustment, however its precedence is getting again to work on Void Battle, the developer insisted. And, to that finish, Void Battle is now again on Steam.
Right here’s Tundra Interactive’s assertion in full to IGN:
To recap, the preliminary takedown was triggered by a DMCA discover attributed to Games Workshop. On the time, we couldn’t independently confirm the submitter past the title and call e mail Valve included. The contact e mail was GW’s public infringements inbox, and the title listed was “Mal Reynolds,” which can also be a fictional character from the sci-fi TV present Firefly.
After over a week of no response, Games Workshop finally replied to our e mail and confirmed the discover was theirs. They stated their concern was restricted to a particular shot from one of the trailers on the shop web page, arguing that sure components may create the mistaken impression that Void Battle is related to Games Workshop, particularly what they described as “the outsized convex shoulder pads with a metallic rim.”
All of the paintings in the trailer is authentic work created by our artists. Whereas we disagree with their evaluation, the only solution to get the sport again up and keep away from getting slowed down in DMCA course of was to take away that trailer and transfer on. We might re-upload an up to date model later after we discover time to regulate that shot, however for now our precedence is transport content material and ending multi-language font help so we will lastly ship correct translations.
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All’s properly that ends properly? Maybe. Actually this case exhibits that Games Workshop and “Mal Reynolds,” who I’d love to satisfy sooner or later, are holding a shut eye on online game characters and their shoulder pads. Maybe it should not come as a shock, given Games Workshop’s historical past of stringent IP safety. Be warned! The Inquisition is all the time watching.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.