UK publisher Codemasters has filed a civil complaint against Gazillion and its NetDevil studio with a San Francisco federal court over the delayed release of sci-fi MMORPG Jumpgate Evolution.
Originally scheduled to ship in early 2009, Jumpgate Evolution is the sequel to NetDevil's 2001 game Jumpgate: The Reconstruction Initiative. Codemasters signed a licensing agreement for the follow-up and paid NetDevil 1.4 million in advance for its development and art assets.
Codemasters alleges that the defendants failed to ship Jumpgate Evolution on or before February 29, 2009 as agreed. NetDevil announced in May 2009 that it was delaying the game to polish and improve the title based on feedback it had received, but it has yet to say when the MMORPG will release.
The publisher also says NetDevil was supposed to enter into an agreement with an escrow agent and deposit its source code with that agent. Codemasters alleges that NetDevil has "failed and refused to enter into the mandated escrow agreement and has failed and refused to deposit the source code into any escrow."
As a result, the UK firm filed a complaint against Gazillion and NetDevil for breach of contract, listing in its damages the $1.4 million it paid in advances and for art assets, external costs (e.g. localization, marketing, hardware game servers, data center costs), and internal costs (e.g. production, quality assurance).
According to documents posted by Courthouse News and first reported by Massively, Codemasters is seeking damages for the breach of contract, or in the alternative, a rescission of its agreement with NetDevil that will require the developer to return all of the funds it received for Jumpgate Evolution.
"The allegations in the complaint are clear and self-explanatory and address issues related to the development of Jumpgate Evolution," said a representative for Codemasters in Jumpgate Evolution's online forum. "... On the advice of Codemasters' US attorneys, Codemasters has no further comment at this time."
The media on the game is pretty nice. However, it seems a bit typical. What is going to set it aside and make it unique? I worry that it is not enough simulation and too much of an arcade combat game. Why buy evolution instead of the well developed Eve Online? The marketing needs to address these concerns. I just can't imagine paying $49.99 for the game and another $12 to $20 per month absent the game blowing my doors off and making me forget about Old Republic. Old Republic makes me think that the suits should have dropped Jumpgate Evolution. I am sure a big issue is that Jumpgate Evolution was seeming like a good idea (investment strategy) if it made it's release date in 2009 because the closer it gets to Old Republic's release the less it looks like it has a chance to be viable.
Incidently, NetDevil produced the lackluster Lego Universe so I am not that confident about Jumpgate Evolution. Also, there's that unpleasant history of Auto-Assault.
We will all be watching. I am sure Codemasters just wants to protect it's investment and it sounds like NetDevil is just not forthcoming with details.
Steve: Jumpgate Evolution really has nothing in common with any of the games you mention and therefore shouldn't need to compete with these. They share the same sci-fi'ish theme but that hardly makes them similar in other areas.
I would however love to see Jumpgate Evolution launch and become a success. There are not too many games in its genre even though Miner Wars, Diaspora (the Battlestar Galactica fan developed game) and Black Prophecy all are going to change that within the next year or so.
I think comparing Jumpgate to X3 would be a little more accurate. Based on videos i saw, this game had a lot of promise, it's a shame to see it fall apart like this. Codemasters probably should have chosen a dev witha better track record so I guess they can only blame themselves for this one.
I seem to recall that once upon a time a little publisher called Sony pressured a game developer into releasing their game called Vanguard while the product was still in really terrible shape.
And when the game failed to perform financially - which was inevitable given its condition at release - the publisher swooped in and bought up the game.
Though if Codemasters have invested money with a promise of return by a particular date then I can understand their being miffed. I just hope they can work this out without hurting the game or the developer.
Incidently, NetDevil produced the lackluster Lego Universe so I am not that confident about Jumpgate Evolution. Also, there's that unpleasant history of Auto-Assault.
We will all be watching. I am sure Codemasters just wants to protect it's investment and it sounds like NetDevil is just not forthcoming with details.
I would however love to see Jumpgate Evolution launch and become a success. There are not too many games in its genre even though Miner Wars, Diaspora (the Battlestar Galactica fan developed game) and Black Prophecy all are going to change that within the next year or so.
I seem to recall that once upon a time a little publisher called Sony pressured a game developer into releasing their game called Vanguard while the product was still in really terrible shape.
And when the game failed to perform financially - which was inevitable given its condition at release - the publisher swooped in and bought up the game.
Though if Codemasters have invested money with a promise of return by a particular date then I can understand their being miffed. I just hope they can work this out without hurting the game or the developer.
That seems like an oddly low figure. How much of an MMO can you build for 1.4 million?