Just when you thought the drama surrounding Dragon Sword was coming to an end, it’s instead plunged into an even deeper quagmire. Webzen and Hound 13, who once envisioned a rosy future together, are now trading sharp barbs like a couple embroiled in a messy, high-stakes divorce. Contrary to hopes for an amicable settlement, the chasm between their positions is only widening, turning this into a legal battle that likely won't be resolved until a judge bangs the gavel.

This legal saga breaks silence two months after the MG payment default incident, and Hound 13 has declared a solo path with plans for a Steam launch, only for Webzen to file an injunction to block the service, leaving the Steam release shrouded in uncertainty. Hound 13 insists that the failure to pay the MG constitutes a breach of contract, which they claim was legally terminated on February 13. Webzen, however, claims that they paid the remaining balance on February 27, and therefore the termination is void. Watching them fight over the publishing rights to Dragon Sword feels exactly like watching a couple fail to reach a custody agreement.

With the game service effectively frozen, the fact that the first update in two months is yet another legal filing has fans fuming. As Gamemeca user Lachovy put it, "The law is far away, while fists are close...", and Gamemeca user meath remarked, "It feels like the players are the ones getting caught in the crossfire of this legal battle." Across various communities, users are venting their frustrations like children caught between arguing parents, posting comments like, "Just issue refunds and close the servers," and "Two months with no real updates, only to drop a lawsuit notice."

The prolongation of this dispute will serve as a grim landmark for domestic publishing contract practices, regardless of the fate of Dragon Sword or the Steam-bound Dragon Sword: Awakening. Just as a drawn-out divorce devastates a family, this infighting is bound to inflict lasting damage on both the developer's and the publisher's brands. One can only hope that they step back, show a bit of mutual respect, and view the situation objectively before it hits a point of no return.