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Square Enix suing to stop this ‘Front Mission-style’ mecha game from being released in the US

The game is slated for release this year

www.polygon.com

Square Enix has been reviving its Front Mission mecha franchise with remakes of its early games, but announced an entirely new game, Front Mission 2089: Borderscape, in 2022. Developed by BlackJack Studio, the game never came to to be: In a new lawsuit filed on March 13 in a Seattle court, Square Enix terminated the licensing agreement and canceled the game in October 2022, months after the game was announced in April. But years later, in October 2024, BlackJack Studio (called HK Ten Tree in the lawsuit) released a game called Metal Storm (or Mecharashi) that Square Enix says was “developed using materials created pursuant” to its Front Mission licensing agreement, and made by the same people.

Essentially, Square Enix is accusing the studio of reusing stuff made specifically for the Front Mission game that was canceled to make this new game, Mecharashi. Mecharashi was released in China and Japan. On its Steam page, BlackJack Studio calls Mecharashi a “mecha-themed tactical turn-based game” that uses “a Front Mission-style combat system, where you can assemble mechas however you want, equip a wide selection of weapons, and choose your favorite pilots to engage in battle.” There’s no release date; it’s simply listed as “coming soon.”

Left: Front Mission 2089: Borderscape | Right: Mecharashi Image: Square Enix via lawsuit

 

[Punished Miku]

 

[jshackles]

I expected to come in here and see Nintendo-levels of legal shenanigans, but damn this looks so open and shut. Square hires studio to make game, game gets cancelled, studio releases game with different name using assets from cancelled game, I'm with Punished Miku on this one:

 

[Loomy]

Imagine looking at Palworld and thinking "you didn't go far enough"

 

[cinnamonandgravy]

wait wait wait
at least from those images, front mission 2089 looks like real, traditional front mission game...

drop the overt anime aesthetic and bring it to console!

 

[Hudo]

I hope the dev wins this. If Square can't be bothered to make a new, proper Front Mission, I take this instead.

 

[poodaddy]

I mean, they're definitely guilty.....but Square could have had the fucking game and canceled on em. The game's already out in Japan and China, so what's the big deal with it coming here? There have literally always been copy cat games, that's just part of the industry going all the way back to the late fuckin 70's. Fact of the matter is Square shouldn't have canceled the project and they could have released this game themselves here, but they fucked up. I know they shouldn't, but I legitimately hope they beat Square and release it here as I wanna play it.

God modern Square Enix is very easily the worst Japanese publisher in the industry right now, they make Konami look like a pro consumer wonder kind. Pathetic .

 

[Kadve]

I expected to come in here and see Nintendo-levels of legal shenanigans, but damn this looks so open and shut. Square hires studio to make game, game gets cancelled, studio releases game with different name using assets from cancelled game, I'm with Punished Miku on this one:

This happens quite often. Most publishers aren't jerks about it though and lets them release the game as reskinned.

Granted they often work with said publisher in order to make sure it isn't to close. Sounds like these guys didn't even talk to Squennix beforehand.

 

[Hudo]

The game's already out in Japan

Holy shit. Then what the fuck is this all about? Or is Japanese law so much different from US law?

 

[hemo memo]

Square Enix suing to stop this ‘Front Mission-style’ mecha game from being released in the US

The game is slated for release this year

www.polygon.com

Left: Front Mission 2089: Borderscape | Right: Mecharashi Image: Square Enix via lawsuit

Star Wars - The Hidden Fortress flashback.

 

[cireza]

Square Enix suing to stop this ‘Front Mission-style’ mecha game from being released in the US

The game is slated for release this year

www.polygon.com

Left: Front Mission 2089: Borderscape | Right: Mecharashi Image: Square Enix via lawsuit

 

[Paulistano]

If the game was from a popular company they would say it was inspiration and not plagiarism.

 

[poodaddy]

Holy shit. Then what the fuck is this all about? Or is Japanese law so much different from US law?

Shit I don't know, seems like Square Enix just wailing their arms and screaming, probably just due to how much larger a market the West is so now they're gonna make a big stink about it, they're a fucking useless company.
If Ubisoft went under, Western gaming would be better for it. Same goes for Square Enix, all they do is fuck up their IP constantly these days, and they don't even work well with developers and they don't understand the modern consumer whatsoever, (other than basement dwelling weeb types), just a bunch of greedy assholes who hope you don't realize they're selling you three games out of one game, but hey, "look at Tifa's tits ya fuckin goobers, it's a good thing that we're ripping you off this hard," or fuckin up ports of classic games and then fixing them two goddamn years later and everyone's just like, "all's well that ends well, least it's in good shape now!" Their core fan base just laps up garbage with a smile on their face.

I hate this company so much lol. Probably because they were my favorite when I was a kid and they've just turned into such garbage that I feel a visceral reaction to their nonsense these days. Would love to see their IP sold off and them go under, but it'll never happen as they make money from more than just games and their toy division does quite well. Shame.

 

[Northeastmonk]

Looks sweet. On one hand we have the Front Mission 3 Remaster coming out this year and then Mecharashi, which just sounds cool. I’ll take both.

 

[Hudo]

Shit I don't know, seems like Square Enix just wailing their arms and screaming, probably just due to how much larger a market the West is so now they're gonna make a big stink about it, they're a fucking useless company.
If Ubisoft went under, Western gaming would be better for it. Same goes for Square Enix, all they do is fuck up their IP constantly these days, and they don't even work well with developers and they don't understand the modern consumer whatsoever, (other than basement dwelling weeb types), just a bunch of greedy assholes who hope you don't realize they're selling you three games out of one game, but hey, "look at Tifa's tits ya fuckin goobers, it's a good thing that we're ripping you off this hard," or fuckin up ports of classic games and then fixing them two goddamn years later and everyone's just like, "all's well that ends well, least it's in good shape now!" Their core fan base just laps up garbage with a smile on their face.

I hate this company so much lol. Probably because they were my favorite when I was a kid and they've just turned into such garbage that I feel a visceral reaction to their nonsense these days. Would love to see their IP sold off and them go under, but it'll never happen as they make money from more than just games and their toy division does quite well. Shame.

Generally, I agree. That being said, Dragon Quest still retains the same quality. But that might be more due to Yuji Horii having control over the IP.

 

[poodaddy]

Generally, I agree. That being said, Dragon Quest still retains the same quality. But that might be more due to Yuji Horii having control over the IP.

That is true yeah, I forgot about Dragon Quest. The Enix IP of the company is doing great and they treat it with far more reverence as well. The Square stuff is.... fuckin embarrassing.

 

[xenosys]

Yeah, Square Enix will win that case.

Dumb from those developers.

 

[xenosys]

God modern Square Enix is very easily the worst Japanese publisher in the industry right now, they make Konami look like a pro consumer wonder kind. Pathetic .

They ended up 6th last year on aggregate publisher scores for games released in 2024. They evidently aren't.

 

[mayham2199]

I expected to come in here and see Nintendo-levels of legal shenanigans, but damn this looks so open and shut. Square hires studio to make game, game gets cancelled, studio releases game with different name using assets from cancelled game, I'm with Punished Miku on this one:

Yea this is wild what they are trying to do.

 

[nial]

Yeah, Square Enix will win that case.

Dumb from those developers.

Why? It's not like Square Enix was publishing that game (remember, it was just licensing) and had the rights for assets, code, whatever.
Has it been proved that anything on the game is a violation on copyright for the Front Mission series?
Edit: I just looked it up, and Square Enix was, indeed, publishing Front Mission 2089, so it wasn't really a licensing agreement (like the recent remakes) as the article stated.

 

[LRKD]

Square might have a case, but I don't think they should. After all why shouldn't a studio be able to reuse non ip assets from a canceled project?

 

[Valonquar]

 

[Mr Moose]

"Hey, can I copy your homework?"
"Yeah just change it up a bit so it doesn't look obvious you copied"
"Say less"

 

[Darkkahn]

 

[Chittagong]

SquareEnix is most likely legally in the right here, but it seems needlessly petty for people not knowing the full story. I have worked with many of these kinds of developers and aside from a few unicorns, they are very basic hand-to-mouth operations that are always strapped for cash, and small revenue streams - like that on a mediocre non-brand mecha game - help keep the lights on.

Most likely they didn’t part on good terms.

 

[Hero_Select]

Shit I don't know, seems like Square Enix just wailing their arms and screaming, probably just due to how much larger a market the West is so now they're gonna make a big stink about it, they're a fucking useless company.
If Ubisoft went under, Western gaming would be better for it. Same goes for Square Enix, all they do is fuck up their IP constantly these days, and they don't even work well with developers and they don't understand the modern consumer whatsoever, (other than basement dwelling weeb types), just a bunch of greedy assholes who hope you don't realize they're selling you three games out of one game, but hey, "look at Tifa's tits ya fuckin goobers, it's a good thing that we're ripping you off this hard," or fuckin up ports of classic games and then fixing them two goddamn years later and everyone's just like, "all's well that ends well, least it's in good shape now!" Their core fan base just laps up garbage with a smile on their face.

I hate this company so much lol. Probably because they were my favorite when I was a kid and they've just turned into such garbage that I feel a visceral reaction to their nonsense these days. Would love to see their IP sold off and them go under, but it'll never happen as they make money from more than just games and their toy division does quite well. Shame.

You have no idea what you're talking about do you? lmfao this is the most ridiculous thing I've read all day thank you

 

[LordCBH]

That….actually looks like a legitimate claim from Square.

 

[Arachnid]

It's definitely the same game lmao

But right or wrong, I don't ever take a corporations side on principle. Free my mans Blackjack Studios, he innocent!

 

[SmoothBrain]

It probably depends on what the contract says—if they had to shred all developed assets and if SE was the legal holder of them, especially since the initial contract was cancelled. No?

 

[Barakov]

S-E is probably legally in the right here but the annoying part is that it's not like they're going to make a new Front Mission game any time soon.

 

[jshackles]

It probably depends on what the contract says—if they had to shred all developed assets and if SE was the legal holder of them, especially since the initial contract was cancelled. No?

Usually that's the case, but this is so egregious it almost falls into trademark violation territory.

If Ubisoft was working on Mario + Rabbids 3, and Nintendo cancelled their partnership, it's not like Ubisoft could still release a game with Mario in it just because they were the ones that originally made the assets while that partnership was active.

 

[poodaddy]

They ended up 6th last year on aggregate publisher scores for games released in 2024. They evidently aren't.

I don't give a shit what others think, I fuckin hate em.

You have no idea what you're talking about do you? lmfao this is the most ridiculous thing I've read all day thank you

I was gonna give you shit until I realized that we share opinions on Kojima, which makes you alright by me even if you do take up for Squeenix, who I feel is absolutely the worst Japanese publisher in the industry and nothing is gonna convince me otherwise any time soon.

I'd love for them to not be shit again one day though, I pine for the days of Squaresoft, but definitely not the days of Square Enix.

 

[Shadowplay1979]

Imagine making a game for SQEX...then its almost finished and they can it. You lose years worth of your work, you cant show it or ever talk about. It may have been a springboard for this company to better projects which suddenly fell out under them. Any artist that worked on this game has a big gap in their portfolio that they can never show , talk about and has to pretend doesnt exist..even if you put your heart iinto it. Nah i hope sqex loses this.

 

[CamHostage]

Fact of the matter is Square shouldn't have canceled the project and they could have released this game themselves here, but they fucked up. I know they shouldn't, but I legitimately hope they beat Square and release it here as I wanna play it.

So that reviews and fan response could be, "Fuckin Square, giving FM to a nobody developer to make this bullshit?"

Games usually get canceled for a reason. In your mind, everything has the potential to be great, and if it dies, that might have been a great one lost. Reality with finished products tends to be a different story.

...Would it change the conversion to know that this FM'ish Mecharashi is a gacha game?

 

[CamHostage]

Square might have a case, but I don't think they should. After all why shouldn't a studio be able to reuse non ip assets from a canceled project?

Because Square paid for it. That's how contact work works, the company that pays you to make something owns the thing.

I appreciate when publishers aren't petty about the work material. (It's not like they're gong to do anything with it, although if they take a tax writeoff on the canceled work, there could be consequences if the dead material shows up in a marketed product before the timeline expires.) However, it's not in their best interest to do so. Legal issues are questionable, and if the game is good, that's bad publicity for the disowning publisher.

Sadly, it's easier and usually better to just shitcan the whole thing and be done with it.

 

[rkofan87]

I expected to come in here and see Nintendo-levels of legal shenanigans, but damn this looks so open and shut. Square hires studio to make game, game gets cancelled, studio releases game with different name using assets from cancelled game, I'm with Punished Miku on this one:

this but it still sucks

 

[rkofan87]

So that reviews and fan response could be, "Fuckin Square, giving FM to a nobody developer to make this bullshit?"

Games usually get canceled for a reason. In your mind, everything has the potential to be great, and if it dies, that might have been a great one lost. Reality with finished products tends to be a different story.

...Would it change the conversion to know that this FM knockoff Mecharashi is a gacha game?

the forever entertainment remakes are kick ass imo

 

[newtypepilot]

such amateur mistakes. If you are going to reuse assets for a different IP, at least change them enough so it looks different.

Put it this way, if Nintendo hired you to make a pokemon game and then canceled it, you don't just copy and paste those assets for a non-pokemon game. You do palworld devs did.