'FTL in a Warhammer 40,000 Skin' Game Pulled From Steam After What May Be a Nuisance DMCA Takedown From a Troll Claiming to Be Games Workshop

A strategy crippled dubbed ‘FTL successful a Warhammer 40,000 skin’ was precocious pulled from Steam, with its developer suggesting it whitethorn person been connected the receiving extremity of a nuisance DMCA takedown from a troll claiming to beryllium Games Workshop.

Last week, Tundra Interactive posted a connection connected the Void War Steam forum to accidental the crippled was “temporarily unavailable” aft it had been pulled from Steam without explanation. The indie developer said it was moving with Valve to “resolve” the issue, and pointed to Void War's continued availability connected Itch.io.

Void War is often compared to some indie darling FTL and Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop’s tabletop wargame acceptable successful the grim acheronian of the acold aboriginal — and it’s casual to spot why.

The gameplay looks incredibly akin to Subset Games’ hugely fashionable 2012 ‘spaceship simulation roguelike-like,’ and the aesthetic is precise Warhammer 40,000. The voidships themselves look — successful Void War’s authoritative creation — similar Imperial Navy Vessels.

Void War's aesthetic has been compared to Warhammer 40,000.

Meanwhile, immoderate of the characters look similar Space Marines. There’s an existent Psyker that’s called a Psyker. There are “Imperial Shrineworlds.” There’s notation of “Imperial astrogation authorities.” You get the idea.

This is not a Space Marine.

Following the takedown, IGN asked Tundra Interactive for comment, and it responded with thing rather unusual. It said that it had received a takedown announcement from Valve stating that Games Workshop itself had claimed copyright infringement. But here’s what makes this 1 odd: the lone claiming accusation Valve provided the developer it said, is Games Workshop’s public-facing infringements inbox and the sanction “Mal Reynolds.”

Mal Reynolds is simply a sanction that volition beryllium instantly acquainted to Firefly / Serenity fans, due to the fact that that’s the sanction of the main character, played by Nathan Fillion successful the beloved but short-lived sci-fi show. It seems improbable that Games Workshop would person idiosyncratic connected its books named Mal Reynolds, and that it would travel aft Void War now, fractional a twelvemonth aft merchandise connected Steam. And it’s worthy pointing retired Void War is inactive up connected Itch.io, wherever nary DMCA takedown appears to person taken place.

Here’s Tundra Interactive's remark to IGN successful full:

We received a DMCA takedown announcement from Valve stating that Games Workshop is claiming copyright infringement. We person not received immoderate different connection from Games Workshop, and the lone claimant accusation Valve has provided is Games Workshop’s public-facing infringements inbox and the sanction “Mal Reynolds,” which is antithetic since that’s the main quality from Firefly. We can’t independently verify who really submitted the notice, and Games Workshop hasn’t responded yet to our email asking them to corroborate oregon retreat it. We’re pursuing the modular DMCA process and volition stock further updates erstwhile we person confirmed information.

Of course, this whitethorn really beryllium a genuine DMCA takedown by Games Workshop, and determination whitethorn good beryllium a Mal Reynolds who's doing the soiled work. Perhaps there's an authoritative FTL-style Warhammer 40,000 crippled successful the works, and it's adjacent to a reveal. Neither Games Workshop nor Valve has clarified the matter, and based connected some companies' past erstwhile it comes to DMCAs, are improbable to.

All of which leaves Void War disconnected Steam and Tundra Interactive, similar the Imperium Nihilus itself, successful the dark. As for Games Workshop, it’s got plentifulness of authoritative Warhammer 40,000 games successful development, including Dawn of War 4, Dark Heresy, and Total War: Warhammer 40,000.

Wesley is Director, News astatine IGN. Find him connected Twitter astatine @wyp100. You tin scope Wesley astatine [email protected] oregon confidentially astatine [email protected].