The source code for Rune II has been returned to Ragnarok Game, LLC after Human Head Studios shut down due to the developer’s employees jumping ship for a new subsidiary under Bethesda’s umbrella.
As of January 3, 2020, Ragnarok, LLC has secured assets and the source code for the game by getting their hands on a hard drive containing the intellectual property. This reacquisition of the game’s assets comes after Ragnarok, LLC filed a lawsuit against Bethesda and Human Head Studios for $100 million and all related assets.
Since Human Head’s surprising closure and acquisition by Bethesda, Ragnarok stated the team wanted to continue providing support for Rune II and develop additional DLC. However, no information regarding whether the lawsuit has been dropped has been released.
Interested parties can view the legal documents regarding the lawsuit for more information on the legal action’s details. A section of the legal documents states the following: “The Rune II Agreements expressly provide that Ragnarok exclusively owns all right, title and interest in the content and materials developed by Human Head for Rune II, including deliverables, software (including source and object codes), work product, and the Rune II game (“Rune II Assets”).
The lawsuit covers the following six Causes of Action:
- “Breach of Contract Against Defendant Human Head.
- Fraudulent Concealment Against All Defendants (Claims that Human Head did not notify Ragnarok Game that the studio would be shutting down after having been acquired by Bethesda, and that the acquisition was known to Human Head for “several months”)
- Conversion Against All Defendants (Ragnarok Game, LLC claims to be the sole owner of Rune II and all its Assets and demands former Human Head Studios developers turn over Rune II and all its Assets to Ragnarok Game, LLC)
- Fraudulent Misrepresentation Against All Defendants (Claims that Human Head Studios agreed to provide ongoing support for the game after its release for at least five years as contracting partners with Ragnarok Game, LLC and that those “representations were not true”)
- Negligent Misrepresentation Against All Defendants (Similar, but not identical, to number Four above)
- Unfair Business Practices in Violation of California Business & Professions Code Section 17200 Against All Defendants.”
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