Bluehole Studio’s Tera Online was recently announced for a North American launch in May, but if NCSoft has anything to say about it, you won’t be seeing the game anytime soon. The South Korean publisher has accused Bluehole of using assets stolen by former NCSoft employees to create Tera. The lawsuit, filed in New York, follows a similar suit filed in 2010 against Bluehole by NCSoft in Korea.
“NCsoft maintains that Bluehole and its U.S. subsidiary En Masse Entertainment Inc. were founded by a group of NCsoft employees who quit to go into business for themselves in the midst of creating a new game called Lineage 3,” reads the document.
“These individuals did not leave NCsoft empty-handed or with benign intent. To the contrary, they made off with copious amounts of confidential and proprietary NCsoft information, computer software, hardware and artwork relating to Lineage 3.”
NCSoft is looking to block the sale of Tera Online in North America, and is seeking damages for the infringement.
“The current lawsuit claims that the U.S. version of Tera makes use of NCsoft's trade secrets, including documents, source code, artwork and know-how related to the development on Lineage 3, and copyrighted works, including concept art created for Lineage 3. It also asserts claims of breach of confidence, unfair competition and unjust enrichment,” the complaint says.
“The suit seeks temporary and permanent injunctions blocking the release of Tera in the U.S., as well as enhanced damages for Bluehole's alleged misconduct.”
Evan Berman, the community manager for the US version of Tera Online, responded to the claims in a post on the official forums.
“Evening, folks. We're aware of this. It's our policy not to comment on legal matters,” he stated.
[Via MMOCulture]
