The ongoing legal dispute between Dino Patti, co-founder of the renowned game studio Playdead, and the company itself has taken a notable turn. In a recent interview with Danish outlet Arkaden, Patti revealed that Playdead is pursuing legal action against him. This development follows a LinkedIn post he made regarding the creation of the critically acclaimed game Limbo, which included an image that Playdead claims is unauthorized and owned by his co-founder, Arnt Jenson.
Legal Claims and Financial Demands
As a result of this post, Playdead has demanded a substantial compensation of 500,000 DKK (approximately ,000) from Patti. The tensions between the two co-founders appear to have escalated significantly since the launch of Inside in 2016, with Patti’s name gradually diminishing in prominence on the credits list. Initially credited as an executive producer, his recognition has waned with subsequent releases, raising questions about the dynamics within the studio.
In a letter from Playdead’s legal team, the studio emphasized the seriousness of the allegations against Patti. “We want to repeat and caution that your continued use of Playdead’s assets and any disclosure and exploitation of inside knowledge about Playdead for commercial purposes is infringing and constitutes breach of confidentiality clauses,” the letter stated. It further asserted that by sharing insights into Limbo’s development, Patti was misleadingly implying a significant creative involvement in the project.
During his conversation with Arkaden, Patti expressed a willingness to be transparent about the situation. “The cool thing is that journalists like you can request access to everything that happens. And I won’t hold anything back – I’ll basically be legally required to release all the images and materials showing what’s gone on,” he stated, hinting at a forthcoming revelation of the inner workings of Playdead during its formative years.
