legal disputes

AppWizard
November 30, 2025
Mindseye, launched in June 2025 by Build a Rocket Boy, is an action game that received poor reviews and faced significant issues at launch, leading to employee layoffs. Founder Leslie Benzies attributed the game's failure to external sabotage. Despite ongoing turmoil, the team is working on updates, including a free demo released with Update 6, which offers a portion of the campaign and player-created content. The free starter pack weighs under 50GB and includes a 15-minute main quest and 14 additional challenges, although the free-roam feature has been removed. The complete game is currently available at a 50% discount, priced at .99 / £27.49.
AppWizard
November 14, 2025
Krafton has announced its intention to become an "AI-first company" with an investment of over 130 billion won. The company has implemented a hiring freeze and a voluntary resignation program for its South Korean workforce. Krafton acquired Eleventh Hour Games (EHG), the studio behind Last Epoch, in July. EHG has maintained a commitment to providing players with free content since its Kickstarter launch in 2018, but recent communications suggest that the pricing for upcoming expansions is uncertain. EHG co-founder Cobler outlined limited options during the acquisition process, including pursuing other intellectual properties, seeking unfavorable funding, joining Krafton, or facing bankruptcy. Cobler expressed optimism about the acquisition's long-term benefits, despite skepticism from others. There is currently no evidence that Last Epoch is declining, but Krafton's strategic decisions may impact the studio. EHG recently launched its third season and plans additional content leading up to an expansion.
BetaBeacon
November 6, 2025
Google has proposed changes to its Play Store and Android in order to settle an antitrust dispute with Epic Games. The changes include allowing alternative payment methods for app developers, supporting Registered App Stores like Epic Games, and implementing new fee structures for transactions. The settlement could impact the ongoing legal battle between Epic Games and Apple, as Google's case is not directly applicable to Apple's situation.
AppWizard
November 5, 2025
Google has proposed modifications to the Play Store following its legal defeat against Epic Games. The proposal includes easier access to third-party app stores, a new tiered service fee structure (9% for general purchases and 20% for certain transactions), reduced Google Play Billing fees (5% for the first million in annual revenue, reverting to 30% thereafter), permission for apps to display alternative payment options, and the ability to install a Registered App Store directly from a website. These changes will be discussed in court on November 6. Certain restrictions remain, such as prohibiting exclusive deals for Play Store access and allowing developers to communicate pricing options outside the Play Store.
AppWizard
November 5, 2025
Google and Epic Games have proposed a joint settlement to resolve over five years of legal disputes, submitted on November 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The settlement seeks court approval for changes that would restrict Google from engaging in exclusivity deals with developers, sharing revenue with competitors, or entering agreements with OEMs and carriers about pre-installed app stores. It also aims to streamline the installation process for third-party "Registered App Stores." The settlement follows a favorable ruling for Epic in a jury trial earlier this year and requires approval from Judge James Donato to take effect. Executives from both companies expressed optimism about the settlement, emphasizing enhanced developer choice, lower fees, and increased competition while ensuring user safety.
AppWizard
September 26, 2025
Developer Illfonic is creating a new game inspired by the 1978 horror film Halloween, set in the small town of Haddonfield. The game features asymmetrical multiplayer gameplay where four residents must evade the killer, Michael Myers. Survivors can alert neighbors, contact the police, or guide others to escape points, while Myers is invincible but can be detained by the police. The game will also include single-player vignettes that allow players to experience key moments from the film from Michael Myers' perspective. The game is set to be released on September 8, 2026. Concerns have been raised about the long hype cycle and the game's potential longevity due to past issues with Illfonic's Friday the 13th game.
AppWizard
September 8, 2025
Subnautica 2 is currently the most wishlisted title on Steam, following Hollow Knight: Silksong and other anticipated releases. It is facing a legal dispute due to a fallout among senior staff at Studio Unknown Worlds, which was acquired by Krafton in 2021. The game was originally set for an early access release this year, but uncertainty has arisen after the replacement of key leadership figures, including CEO Ted Gill and designer Charlie Cleveland. The ousted developers claim their termination was unjust and aimed at avoiding a substantial bonus, while Krafton argues that they failed to meet critical milestones. Other notable titles in the wishlist include Valve's Deadlock, Battlefield 6, Borderlands 4, and Light No Fire.
TrendTechie
September 8, 2025
Developers of the Claude chatbot have proposed a settlement of [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: In a significant development within the realm of artificial intelligence and copyright law, developers of the Claude chatbot have proposed a settlement of .5 billion to compensate journalists and authors whose works were allegedly used without permission during the training of their neural networks. This proposal, which aims to resolve ongoing legal disputes regarding the legality of utilizing pirated books for AI training, has been detailed on specialized platforms and awaits approval from a California judge. Background on Claude and the Legal Challenge Claude, an AI chatbot developed by Anthropic, is currently operating on its fourth version, Sonnet 4. The model claims to possess capabilities in “reasoning, analysis, creative writing, programming, and solving complex problems across a wide range of fields.” Notably, it emphasizes its “constitutional AI training,” designed to ensure ethical and constructive discussions on virtually any topic. While Claude shares similarities with other AI projects like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, it operates on a subscription model, attracting approximately 16 to 18 million users monthly. The legal action was initiated last year by journalists Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, who filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all authors whose texts may have been copied during the AI's training process. They allege that Anthropic built a multi-billion dollar enterprise by “stealing hundreds of thousands of copyrighted books.” The lawsuit claims that the company downloaded pirated versions of works, including those of the plaintiffs, and subsequently trained its models on this content. Specifically, the complaint indicates that the neural networks analyzed texts from free torrent libraries such as Books3 and The Pile. Claims of Copyright Infringement The plaintiffs assert that Anthropic's actions constitute a violation of their copyright rights under 17 USC § 501. They are seeking compensatory damages, restitution, the return of unlawfully obtained property, attorney fees, and any other appropriate remedies. Furthermore, they are requesting a court order to prohibit Anthropic from engaging in “infringing conduct,” effectively seeking a ban on training neural networks with pirated content. A ruling in this case could set a precedent for future litigation against other developers in the AI sector. The case is being presided over by Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup in the Northern District of California. Recently, Anthropic submitted a proposal for a pre-trial settlement, avoiding the issue of admitting liability for copyright infringement and instead focusing on a financial resolution. The company has committed to establishing a non-repayable Settlement Fund of “no less than .5 billion,” from which payments will be made based on specific claims submitted by authors within 120 days of the fund's establishment. Additionally, Anthropic has pledged to remove texts from pirated libraries from its databases. In exchange for these concessions, the plaintiffs would need to waive their claims, although they retain the right to pursue further legal action should it be discovered that the developers have once again downloaded books from torrent sites. This proposal is pending approval from Judge Alsup." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].5 billion to compensate journalists and authors whose works were allegedly used without permission during the training of their neural networks. This proposal aims to resolve legal disputes regarding the use of pirated books for AI training and is awaiting approval from a California judge. The legal action was initiated by journalists who filed a class-action lawsuit against Anthropic, alleging copyright infringement under 17 USC § 501. They claim that Anthropic built a multi-billion dollar enterprise by using pirated texts for training its models. The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory damages, restitution, and a court order to prohibit Anthropic from infringing conduct. Anthropic's settlement proposal includes establishing a non-repayable Settlement Fund of at least [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: In a significant development within the realm of artificial intelligence and copyright law, developers of the Claude chatbot have proposed a settlement of .5 billion to compensate journalists and authors whose works were allegedly used without permission during the training of their neural networks. This proposal, which aims to resolve ongoing legal disputes regarding the legality of utilizing pirated books for AI training, has been detailed on specialized platforms and awaits approval from a California judge. Background on Claude and the Legal Challenge Claude, an AI chatbot developed by Anthropic, is currently operating on its fourth version, Sonnet 4. The model claims to possess capabilities in “reasoning, analysis, creative writing, programming, and solving complex problems across a wide range of fields.” Notably, it emphasizes its “constitutional AI training,” designed to ensure ethical and constructive discussions on virtually any topic. While Claude shares similarities with other AI projects like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, it operates on a subscription model, attracting approximately 16 to 18 million users monthly. The legal action was initiated last year by journalists Andrea Bartz, Charles Graeber, and Kirk Wallace Johnson, who filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all authors whose texts may have been copied during the AI's training process. They allege that Anthropic built a multi-billion dollar enterprise by “stealing hundreds of thousands of copyrighted books.” The lawsuit claims that the company downloaded pirated versions of works, including those of the plaintiffs, and subsequently trained its models on this content. Specifically, the complaint indicates that the neural networks analyzed texts from free torrent libraries such as Books3 and The Pile. Claims of Copyright Infringement The plaintiffs assert that Anthropic's actions constitute a violation of their copyright rights under 17 USC § 501. They are seeking compensatory damages, restitution, the return of unlawfully obtained property, attorney fees, and any other appropriate remedies. Furthermore, they are requesting a court order to prohibit Anthropic from engaging in “infringing conduct,” effectively seeking a ban on training neural networks with pirated content. A ruling in this case could set a precedent for future litigation against other developers in the AI sector. The case is being presided over by Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup in the Northern District of California. Recently, Anthropic submitted a proposal for a pre-trial settlement, avoiding the issue of admitting liability for copyright infringement and instead focusing on a financial resolution. The company has committed to establishing a non-repayable Settlement Fund of “no less than .5 billion,” from which payments will be made based on specific claims submitted by authors within 120 days of the fund's establishment. Additionally, Anthropic has pledged to remove texts from pirated libraries from its databases. In exchange for these concessions, the plaintiffs would need to waive their claims, although they retain the right to pursue further legal action should it be discovered that the developers have once again downloaded books from torrent sites. This proposal is pending approval from Judge Alsup." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].5 billion and removing texts from pirated libraries from its databases, with the plaintiffs needing to waive their claims in exchange. The case is presided over by Senior U.S. District Judge William Alsup.
Winsage
July 30, 2025
Opera has filed an antitrust complaint against Microsoft in Brazil, claiming that Microsoft's agreements to make Edge the sole pre-installed browser on Windows devices hinder competition for alternative browsers. Opera alleges that Microsoft uses design strategies and "dark patterns" to discourage users from downloading rival browsers, limiting consumer choice and undermining competition. Opera's general counsel stated that Microsoft restricts browser competition on Windows and has a history of legal disputes with Microsoft dating back to 2007. Opera is urging Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) to take action against Microsoft to create a more equitable environment for browser developers.
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