The studio was also found in ”breach of their contractual obligations” to JAG, and their strategic partners. Biart was denying JAG their publishing rights.
JAG has obtained a restraining order against Biart and its managing director, Mr. Konstantin Popov, who claimed publically that they had no right to publish their PC game Deep Black. JAG took issue with public statements to that effect.
Germany’s Regional Court of Berlin acknowledges that those statements against JAG and their partners were ”damaging to the company’s business and reputation.”
”The injunction made and sanctioned by the Regional Court prohibits Biart and its Managing Director Mr. Konstantin Popov from publicly disparaging JAG and their strategic partners, and from publicly denying the publishing rights of “Deep Black” (PC),” read the release. ”Failure to comply will result in substantial fines, up to a detention order.”
Just A Game is the licensed worldwide publisher for Deep Black and has sub-licensed the PC title in North America and for worldwide digital distribution through Steam to publisher Strategy First Inc. Both JAG and Strategy First are pleased with the outcome.
”The decision made by the Regional Court was expected and we want to make the situation transparent for all involved parties,” said Peer Fischer, Director of Legal & Business Affairs at JAG. “The decision is to be understood that the developer is to meet its contractual obligations and provide open and direct communication with Just A Game.”
Strategy First Director Emanuel Wall added: ”We fully support Just A Game in their current dispute. We look forward to Just A Game and the developer finding an acceptable solution so that all contractual obligations are fulfilled. We are eager to offer this exciting and highly anticipated game to the public. ” Deep Black is a third-person shooter.
Deep Black releases on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC next month. It was originally titled ‘U-WARS’ and ‘Underwater Wars’, as it features extensive underwater action.
