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Silicon Studio Subsidiary Ignis Imageworks Sues Zener Works for 222 Million Yen in Unpaid Fees

Silicon Studio subsidiary Ignis Imageworks filed a lawsuit against game console software developer Zener Works at the Tokyo district court on Thursday, with Ignis Imageworks seeking 222 million yen (about US$1.95 million) in allegedly unpaid outsourcing fees.

Ignis Imageworks stated in the lawsuit that it entered into an agreement to develop in-game assets for a smartphone game that Zener Works was developing. As the game's general outline was still undeveloped at the time, the agreement supposedly specified that the exact form of the deliverables and the payment would only be agreed upon later. Ignis Imageworks continued its development on the assets under Zener Works' direction, continuing to attempt negotiations regarding the as-yet undecided details of the agreement and how it would be able to be fulfilled, but was unable to do so until it had completed development of the assets in March 2021.

Ignis Imageworks received 54 million yen (about US$474,600) in payment from Zener Works in June 2020, another 54 million yen in September 2020, and 72 million yen (about US$632,900) in January 2021, totaling 180 million yen (about US$1.58 million). Ignis Imageworks claimed in the lawsuit that its payment received from Zener Works does not cover the total cost of development, and is still supposedly short 231 million yen (about US$2.03 million).

Some of Ignis Imageworks' CG graphics in anime and games include 22/7, Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV, Girls und Panzer das Finale, Bravely Default II, Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness, and Demon Slayer: The Hinokami Chronicles.

Source: Gamebiz via Hachima Kikō