Steam Developers Scramble for a New Title After Realizing Their Indie Game Shares a Name with Marvel Royalty
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
The developers of a promising Steam roguelike are seeking a new name from the community after realizing their title shares a name with a major Marvel character, prompting a scramble to avoid Disney's legal radar.
Navigating the indie scene on Steam is already a massive challenge, but one small studio just ran into a completely unexpected copyright hurdle. The developers behind the upcoming roguelike bullet hell game StarLords recently admitted they had no idea Marvel and Disney owned a rather famous character by the exact same name. After receiving warnings from players on Reddit, the team is now frantically searching for a new title to avoid an inevitable run-in with corporate legal teams. According to the studio, nobody on the team watches Marvel movies, which explains how the oversight happened in the first place.
The game itself is shaping up to be an intriguing mix of fast-paced action and base-building mechanics, combining elements of Enter the Gungeon with a stylized aesthetic and ten unique commanders. A playable demo is already live on Steam for anyone wanting to test out the gameplay loop, and the core campaign is largely finished. Rather than waiting for a cease and desist letter from Disney, the developers decided to play it safe and turn the rebrand into a community event. Fans are currently flooding Reddit with title suggestions ranging from serious contenders to hilarious joke entries, with the winning submission earning a free Steam key and a permanent spot in the credits.
While pivoting away from a potential lawsuit is smart survival instinct, the timing has also helped draw fresh eyes to the project. The studio recently launched a modest Kickstarter campaign to fund additional content like co-op multiplayer and custom planetary headquarters. In an era where indie developers constantly struggle for visibility on crowded digital storefronts, a funny naming mishap might just turn out to be the best marketing strategy they could have asked for. You can check out the current demo and follow the rebrand over on Steam, as originally reported by Polygon.
Source: Polygon
Tags: Steam, Indie Games, PC Gaming, Roguelike, Disney
Original article: Polygon