Certainly one of this yr’s most anticipated new video games is on the middle of a authorized scuffle.
This morning, Upper Deck filed a lawsuit within the Superior Court docket of California — County of San Diego in opposition to Ravensburger and a former Higher Deck recreation designer, Ryan Miller, alleging that the events conspired to “steal and replica Higher Deck’s unique recreation which Ravensburger repackaged and marketed as Disney Lorcana.”
First revealed final yr timed with Disney’s D23 Expo, Disney Lorcana is Ravensburger’s entry into the rising world of customizable buying and selling card video games (TCG) — an area through which Higher Deck already performs with its Legendary and Vs. System 2PCG titles.
In response to the 19-page criticism, which The Toy E-book has reviewed (see it here), Miller, who as soon as labored on Magic: The Gathering and Digimon, was beforehand engaged on a work-for-hire foundation with Higher Deck to develop “a serious proprietary buying and selling card recreation for known as Rush of Ikorr.” The criticism alleges that Miller terminated his contract with Higher Deck and took the unfinished Rush of Ikorr to Ravensburger the place it was developed into Disney Lorcana.
“We invested vital time and sources to develop a brand new and novel buying and selling card recreation. Our present management values the significance of defending the mental property of each Higher Deck and its licensors,” says Higher Deck President Jason Masherah. “We would like avid gamers and followers to proceed having fun with and gaining access to distinctive, modern, and immersive buying and selling
card video games. We encourage competitors within the business, but in addition strongly imagine in enjoying by the foundations to make sure the gaming group advantages from the completely different artistic decisions by every producer.”
Higher Deck says that Rush of Ikorr remains to be in lively growth and that it’s looking for damages from Ravensburger, together with restitution, reimbursement of authorized charges, and a courtroom order to cease the general public launch of Disney Lorcana.
The Toy E-book has reached out to Ravensburger North America for touch upon the allegations and can replace this story if a response is acquired.
Disney Lorcana is about for an early release to native recreation shops and interest outlets starting Aug. 18 previous to its mass retail launch on Sept. 1.
