Atari responds to D&D lawsuit

By Oli Welsh Published 4 September, 2009

Turbine challenge is "frivolous".

Atari has issued a strongly-worded riposte to Turbine, calling the MMO studio's legal challenge over its licence to make Dungeons & Dragons Online "frivolous" and "a great disservice to D&D fans and the MMO community at large". Atari is to countersue to recover what it believes are monies owed.

Last week, Turbine filed a $30 million lawsuit against Atari, claiming the D&D licence-holder was trying to withdraw from their agreement under "trumped-up and false" pretences so it could launch its own, competing game - rumoured to be a Neverwinter Nights MMO by Cryptic Studios.

"Last week, with no warning, Turbine filed what can only be viewed as a frivolous lawsuit against Atari. This action can ultimately do a great disservice to D&D fans and to the MMO community at large," Atari said in a statement.

"Turbine's actions also appear intended to divert attention from the contractual obligations that Turbine owes to Atari.  In response, today Atari served a motion to dismiss the entirety of Turbine’s lawsuit.  Atari also filed a separate complaint to recover monies owed to Atari resulting from an independent third party audit of Turbine.

"While Atari hopes for a quick and fair resolution, it remains fully committed to the D&D communities worldwide and will vigorously protect the franchise and its own integrity in this matter."

Neither side is exactly mincing its words here. This one, we suspect, could get ugly.

Dungeons & Dragons Online is updated on 9th September with a new level cap, classes and content, and the introduction of the free-to-play DDO Unlimited in the US. We'll be revisiting the game, away from all this legal drama, soon.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (3) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Johnhost #1 2 years ago

    Personally I think Hasboro who owns Wizards of the Coast the license owners of D&D should pull the rights until they settle this. DDO free-to-play is a brilliant move for Turbine's aging and weak MMO games. However I would prefer to see Neverwinter Nights MMO to D&D Online.

    Publishers are alot more like record companies and Movie studios as the respective industries have grown and continue to want complete control over developers and IP's. EA is showing with The Old Republic and Bioware how a publisher can have a good relationship with studios and still develop multiple MMO's at once.
    Edited by 1 at 05/09/09 @ 14:58

  • Sharzam #2 2 years ago

    So let me get this right, Atari want to pull out working with Turbine so they can work with cryptic on NVN MMO. That part sounds perfectly fair to be honest as its not like they can actually shut down DDO or anything its just that atari want to move onto other things.

    So Turbine sue Atari saying they have to work with them and cant work on NVN. Iam so confused.

  • foamy #3 2 years ago

    NWN MMO, pwiz ;_;