Square Enix Accuses Front Mission Developer of Stealing Assets

Square Enix is pursuing legal action against BlackJack Studio, a developer the company previously partnered with to create a new game in the Front Mission series. According to Square Enix, the Chinese studio used assets initially created for the canceled title Front Mission 2089: Borderscape in its strategy RPG Mecharashi.

Square’s Front Mission series has been around for 30 years, with the original game launched exclusively in Japan for the Super Famicom in 1995. While the franchise now boasts 15 titles, only seven of them have been localized and released outside of Japan. In 2022, Square Enix announced Front Mission 2089: Borderscape, a new title being created with the help of BlackJack Studio. However, months after the game was announced, it was abruptly canceled, disappointing longtime fans of the franchise. Now, some new details have come to light concerning BlackJack Studio’s latest game, and the company is finding itself in hot water over some of the title’s assets.

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According to Square Enix (via Polygon), BlackJack Studio’s October 2024 title Mecharashi was “developed using materials created pursuant” to the Japanese developer’s Front Mission licensing agreement. The Japanese company is now suing BlackJack Studio for reusing assets originally created for the canceled Front Mission 2089: Borderscape, requesting $150,000 per infringement and asking the court to force the developer to remove all infringing content, including mechanics and visuals. Square Enix’s lawsuit includes 11 pages of screenshots showing the many similarities found between the Front Mission 2089: Borderscape trailer and stills from Mecharashi. The company has already sought to have Mecharashi removed from digital storefronts, and while the game’s listing was removed from Steam for a brief time, it is currently back up again at the time of writing.

Square Enix Sues BlackJack Studio for Reused Assets in Mecharashi

BlackJack Studio announced Mecharashi shortly after Front Mission 2089: Borderscape was canceled, describing the title as a “mecha-themed tactical turn-based game” that would include similar combat to that found in the Front Mission series. The game doesn’t currently have a release date, and it’s unclear whether the project will ever see the light of day following this controversy.

Amid this unfortunate legal action, Square Enix has several large projects in the works. Following the success of 2024’s Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D Remake, players are awaiting news of a concrete release date for Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake, which is expected sometime in 2025. Fans are also eager for more details regarding Dragon Quest 12, which remains in active development with no release window announced, and for any news regarding Kingdom Hearts 4, with very few details revealed since its formal announcement in April 2022.

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April 1, 2003

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