Epic vs SK fight widens as UE3 licencees get subpoenas

Shacknews has reported on the lastest development in the Epic vs Silicon Knights legal saga: SK’s council has issues subpoenas to other Unreal Engine 3 licencees in order to see the contracts they signed to use the middleware.

Silicon Knights initiated legal activity against Epic last year, claiming that the firm’s Unreal Engine 3 was not as promised and was hurting the development of its game Too Human. Since then the two have been locked in a bitter legal row, with various motions and counter motions ensuing.

Now as the case progresses, SK wants asked to see the contracts signed by other developers – high profile licencees include the likes of Electronic Arts, Activision and Square Enix.

"I’m leaving the litigation to the lawyers but, if this is the case, I’d like to apologize to any of our licensees who Silicon Knights have inconvenienced," Epic VP Mark Rein told Shacknews. "We know that, like us, they just want to make great games."

Shacknews points out that unless the documents handed over are sealed as court evidence they could become public record and "both Epic and its licensees would be at a substantial disadvantage if such information were made available to competitors".