indie game developers Archives

AppWizard

December 9, 2024

PC Game Storefront Itchio Accuses The Funko Corporation Of Taking Their Site Offline

Funko has a strong presence in the toy and collectibles market, particularly with its Pop vinyl figures. Recently, the gaming platform itch.io was deactivated due to a dispute with Funko over a fan page dedicated to the Funko video game Funko Fusion. Funko used BrandShield software to report the page for alleged fraud and phishing, leading to the deactivation of itch.io’s domain. Despite the removal of the fan page and account by itch.io's founder Leaf Corcoran, the domain remained on "serverHold" due to communication issues with the registrar iwantmyname. This incident raises concerns about the impact of trademark protection on smaller creators who rely on itch.io for income.

AppWizard

September 25, 2024

Palworld comes to PS5 today as Nintendo legal battle looms

Palworld, a survival game similar to Pokémon, has launched on PlayStation 5 after being available on Xbox. The indie developer, Pocketpair, is working on crossplay functionality. However, Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair for patent infringement, allegedly related to the mechanics of throwing Poké Balls. Pocketpair expressed disappointment over the lawsuit, emphasizing the impact on their game development efforts and the challenges faced by indie developers in the industry.

AppWizard

September 19, 2024

Nintendo is suing Palworld maker Pocketpair

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair in Tokyo's District Court on September 18th, claiming that the game Palworld infringes on several of its patents. The lawsuit also involves The Pokémon Company, and Nintendo is seeking an injunction and compensation for damages. Pocketpair expressed surprise at the claims and stated they were unaware of the alleged infringements. Since its launch in early 2024, Palworld has attracted over 25 million players. The lawsuit may require Pocketpair to divert resources from game development to address legal issues.

AppWizard

September 19, 2024

Palworld: Nintendo’s Lawsuit Wants To Block Indie Games From Being Creative

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair, the developer of Palworld, for alleged patent infringement related to game mechanics. Pocketpair plans to contest the lawsuit, stating it will divert resources from game development. The lawsuit seeks an injunction and damages for infringement of multiple patent rights. Pocketpair is currently unaware of the specific patents involved. Palworld, which launched in January, initially attracted over 2 million players on Steam but now averages around 30,000 daily players.

AppWizard

August 9, 2024

Versus Evil alum launch new publisher Digital Bandidos

A group of former employees from Versus Evil has established an indie publishing company called Digital Bandidos, led by CEO Steve Escalante and executive producer Lance James. The company focuses on publishing PC and console games with budgets capped at million, addressing the needs of indie developers for strong partnerships, funding, and publishing expertise. Escalante has engaged with studios in North America and Europe to understand their challenges and is committed to supporting indie game developers with improved tools and experience.

AppWizard

June 11, 2024

Among Us maker Innersloth opens funding outfit Outersloth

Innersloth has launched the Outersloth fund to support indie game developers by providing funding for projects. The fund focuses solely on funding and does not get involved in publishing games or owning intellectual property. CEO Forrest Willard expressed the team's desire to help indie developers who may not have had opportunities in the industry.