The developers of the surprise hit Dark and Darker are not dissuaded by trivialities such as the removal of the game from Steam and a legal dispute with the Korean publisher Nexon. They are nonetheless proceeding with the next playtest, in the old way: with torrents.
What is Dark and Darker about? It is a game from the studio Ironmace, representing a kind of extraction shooter like Escape from Tarkov – only with swords and magic instead of guns.
With its playtests, Dark and Darker has already attracted nearly 2 million players and was also popular on Twitch. However, in March 2023, the surprise hit suddenly disappeared from Steam. The reason for this is an ongoing legal dispute with the Korean publisher Nexon, which accuses the developers of stealing the idea and even parts of the code as well as assets.
Despite these difficulties, Ironmace wants to carry out the fifth and final playtest promised in February.
Developers rely on torrents
How is Ironmace doing this? In a message on the Dark and Darker Discord server, the developers wrote that they are working around the clock to ensure the game’s continuation. Due to the complexity of the situation, they now have to fulfill their promise to the fans “the old-fashioned way”.
To do this, Ironmace employs a technology that evokes either nostalgia or confusion for many: torrents. These are generally small files that contain download information for larger files.
Torrents have long been the means of choice for illegally downloading movies, music, and games, but they have since fallen out of fashion. Although the technology itself is not illegal, torrent links are not allowed on Discord.
The developers therefore refer to their official Twitter account for all current information and links. At the same time, they warn against obtaining the torrent from other sources, as they cannot guarantee its integrity.
Fans react with memes and confusion
How is this being received? Among fans of Dark and Darker, the news has created either excitement or confusion, likely related to their internet usage in the early 2000s.
In the Subreddit for Dark And Darker, players appear to reminisce about their glorious pirate days and share memes like the embedded post here.
Others are somewhat puzzled and ask for help figuring out what a torrent actually is and how to proceed to participate in the playtest (via Reddit).
Still others are simply impressed by how far Ironmace is willing to go to keep their promise to the fans. Reddit user kaleoh writes in the megathread about the playtest: “This is the biggest dedication I have ever seen from a studio. […] I can’t believe they kept this deadline despite all the legal issues surrounding the studio. Absolute legends.”
Are you planning to participate in the playtest or are you perhaps already involved? Or do you hope that the disputes can be resolved and that Dark and Darker can return to Steam? Feel free to leave a comment with your opinion.
