The studio behind this FPS / RTS hybrid successfully DMCA'ed its own game

Eximius: Seize the Frontline is an first-person shooter / RTS hybrid which released into Early Access back in September. Since then its received frequent updates and amassed 87 reviews on Steam. But earlier this month its Steam store page was disabled. The reason? The studio behind Eximius, Ammobox Studios, filed a DMCA takedown notice for it.

That's an odd move by any measure, but it makes sense. Ammobox has alleged that Eximius publisher The Game Wall Studios has failed to pay the studio for sales of the title.

"Long story short, we had to file a DMCA against our very own game on Steam to wrest it off the publisher," reads a post on Steam, dated January 10. "The DMCA has just kicked in resulting in the game being taken off the Steam Store Page.

"Legal action is in process of being taken because the publisher has went off grid and has not made any payment of the sale of the game to developers. The Game Wall Studios has breached publishing agreement and their rights to distribute has been terminated."

Since then, Ammobox has managed to wrest its game from the clutches of its previous publisher, and the game is currently available on Early Access. It's definitely worth reading this Gamesradar report about the situation, and especially the conduct of The Game Wall - which has apparently been missing in action since September last year.

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.