Ironmace announced that it’s early access game Dark and Darker is on its way to smartphones. The small studio has partnered with PUBG and Moonbreaker publisher Krafton to develop a mobile version of the dark fantasy multiplayer dungeon crawler.
Dark and Darker sees players searching for treasure in procedurally generated dungeons. It features PvPvE combat, roguelike elements, and a combination of extraction and battle royale gameplay. However, developer Ironmace is currently locked in a protracted legal battle with Maple Story publisher Nexon, alleging that the indie studio stole assets from a canceled game called P3. This resulted in the removal of Dark and Darker‘s Steam page, though Ironmace is attempting to have it reinstated. While the US copyright case was dismissed, the struggle continues in Korean courts.
On August 24, Krafton issued a press release announcing that it received an exclusive license to develop a mobile game based on Dark and Darker. “We’ve been watching Dark and Darker‘s potential and distinct creativity with great interest,” said Krafton’s Senior Head of Publishing, Rafael Lim. According to Lim, the company was very interested in Dark and Darker‘s setting and unique and innovative mix of genres. Krafton believes that Ironmace has hit on something special, and Lim says the publisher is excited to bring Dark and Darker to a whole new audience of mobile gamers.
Unfortunately, Krafton’s press release is pretty light on details and did not indicate when this mobile adaptation will come out or what players should expect when it does. Notably, the press release uses the word “adaptation” when discussing Dark and Darker‘s mobile release. At the risk of reading too much into exact phrasing, this could indicate that the mobile version will be a separate game rather than a direct port.
A potential parallel might be with PUBG: Battlegrounds and PUBG Mobile. While broadly similar, there are noticeable differences between the two games. PUBG Mobile features simplified controls, smaller, less detailed maps, and less realistic graphics. The mobile game also features an auto-pickup feature, a redesigned interface, and additional audio-visual cues. These changes are necessary to make PUBG work on Android and iOS but do noticeably change the experience. Also, while the PC and console version has its share of crossovers and special events, PUBG Mobile has a lot more.
It seems reasonable to assume that at least some of these will also be true of Dark and Darker‘s mobile version. However, it is far too early to make any serious predictions, and the new game likely isn’t even in development yet. In the meantime, the PC version of Dark and Darker is now available in early access, provided players are willing to jump through a few hoops to get it.
