NCsoft has filed a lawsuit against the developer of the upcoming MMO TERA to stop it from launching the United States. The MMO publisher and developer filed a lawsuit at the beginning of this month against developer Bluehole Studio, claiming that it stole software and assets from NCsoft. The Korean studio employs a number of former NCsoft employees who worked on Lineage 3.
"These individuals did not leave NCsoft empty-handed or with benign intent," the complaint obtained by MMO Culture reads. "To the contrary, they made off with copious amounts of confidential and proprietary NCsoft information, computer software, hardware and artwork relating to Lineage 3."
"Their business plan was simple and audacious: create a competing product using the very work they had done while at NCsoft, launch it themselves to great fanfare and acclaim, and, in the process, deal a crippling blow to their former employer."
Several Bluehole employees have already been convicted in Korea for stealing trade secrets from NCsoft back in 2009.
NCsoft also won a civil complaint against them in Korea in 2010. The court awarded them damages and an injunction banning Bluehole employees from using NCsoft's assets. Unfortunately for NCsoft, that decision was later overturned. Both cases are currently in the appeals process.
"It's not our policy to comment on legal matters," wrote a Bluehole community manager on the TERA forums earlier today.
TERA is set for a May 3 launch in Europe and a May 1 launch in North America on 1st May. The game is already available in Korea.
Source: Eurogamer
