Dark And Darker Launches Today, Just Not On Steam

Dark and Darker, which generated a large following via multiple playtests on Steam over the past year, is releasing today, just not on Valve's popular PC gaming platform.

As revealed by YouTuber Onepeg and later confirmed by PC Gamer, Dark and Darker's release is here, but players will need to purchase the game either through the official Dark and Darker website or via a Korean-based game-selling site called Chaf Games. As of writing, the official website is broken, presumably due to the surge of traffic as eager players look to purchase the game. While the game's listing on Chaf Games includes a purchase button, it currently doesn't work at time of writing.

Developer Ironmace's fantasy-themed extraction shooter, which was slated to release in early access on Steam earlier this year, was pulled from Steam's storefront following a legal dispute between Korean gaming giant Nexon and Ironmace. Nexon issued a DMCA takedown of the game, arguing that Ironmace, which consists of former Nexon developers, stole code and assets from a canceled Nexon project in order to create Dark and Darker. Ironmace denies those allegations, and legal proceedings are currently underway both in the United States and in Korea.

Since the game can't be released on Steam until the ongoing legal battle is settled, Ironmace has instead opted to create its own launcher and sell the game directly. According to Onepeg, who has extensively covered the game and its ongoing legal battle (so much so that his name is listed in official court documents related to the case), Ironmace CEO Terence Park messaged the content creator to tell him the game is launching on August 7 and provided other official details.

Two editions of Dark and Darker will be available for sale. The standard edition of the game is listed at $35, while a $50 "Hold the Line" Founder's Edition includes an exclusive skeleton character skin, torch, and emote. Regardless of where the game is purchased, players will be playing on the same servers and using the same launcher.

A new progression mechanic will see players earning a currency called Blue Shards that can be used to purchase cosmetics, and purchasing the game will immediately earn players five of the new currency. Blue Shards can only be earned through gameplay, but players can also purchase Red Shards with real money, which can also be used to unlock cosmetics. Some cosmetics will only be earnable through Blue Shards and vice versa.

Dark and Darker's last Steam playtest saw the game rise to be one of the most played games on the platform during Steam Next Fest, reaching more than 110,000 concurrent players. The game's most recent playtest, which occurred in April after its removal from Steam, saw Ironmace deliver Dark and Darker via torrent.