Dark and Darker, a dungeon crawler game developed by Ironmace, has been taken down from Steam following allegations of copyright infringement. The game, which had been in early access, was pulled from the storefront after publisher Nexon reportedly sent a cease & desist to Ironmace, claiming that some of the game's development code was copied from Nexon's dungeon crawler, codenamed P3.

According to the game's Reddit community, removing Dark and Darker from Steam gradually began with removing its movies and trailers, followed by screenshots, various game features, early access, and, finally, the description. Ironmace's website, however, is still live at the time of writing.

In a message posted on the game's Discord community, Ironmace explained that they were working with their lawyers to resolve the issue and get the game reinstated on Steam as soon as possible. The developer also reassured fans that a recent police visit to their studio was a quick process, that "nothing was found," and that the visit would not delay development.

The removal of Dark and Darker from Steam highlights the issue of copyright infringement in the gaming industry, which can have severe consequences for developers and publishers alike. Copyright infringement occurs when someone uses copyrighted work without permission, such as copying code or using someone else's art assets.

In the case of Dark and Darker, Ironmace may have used code from Nexon's P3 without permission. This type of copyright infringement can result in legal action, including fines and damages, as well as damage to the infringer's reputation.

The case of Dark and Darker also raises questions about cheating in online games. A recent report suggested that a Dark and Darker player had been approached on Discord and was offered to be paid to create a cheat tool for the game. Cheating in online games is a growing problem that can ruin the experience for other players and damage the reputation of the game and its developers.

In conclusion, removing Dark and Darker from Steam highlights the severe consequences of copyright infringement in the gaming industry and the growing problem of cheating in online games. As a result, developers and publishers need to protect their intellectual property and ensure that their games are fair and enjoyable for all players.