The developers of Axiom Verge made a Twitter thread on March 15th, 2019 claiming that publisher Badland Games owed them $200,000 for a distribution deal to release a physical version of the game to the Wii U. Limited Run Games stepped in to compensate when the deal didn’t go through. Well, Badland Games finally addressed the issues publicly after the issue was featured in an article on GamesIndustry.biz.
CEO of Badland Games, Luis Quintans, posted a message on his Twitter account and retweeted it on the main publishing account of Badland, explaining his side of the story.
Statement on Games Industry article about Axiom Verge and BadLand Games pic.twitter.com/9KTiJoxWwZ
— Luis Quintans (@Luis_Quintans) March 16, 2019
If you’re unable to read the message, Quintans writes…
“In response to the article published yesterday by Games Industry magazine, and the comments expressed by Limited Run Games, Dan Adelman, media and individuals, I am obliged to issue this statement explaining my side of the story.
“The first thing I would like to clarify is that I have NEVER refused to pay the debt we have today with both companies, and that I have documents that prove this fact. I have always been willing to pay, not only to them, but to face the rest of the debts that had been contracted by Badland Games SL, which have been paid as far as the company’s possibilities.
“Badland games was in charge of the port of the Wii U “Axiom Verge” physical version, which was plagued with difficulties because the company that had made the digital port could not handle it because it was immersed in other projects, and simply sent us the code ported with its engine.
“After months of work, involving our production team, Nintendo and the first company, we were able to solve the disc management problem, but by that time our company was facing a serious financial problem that made the production of the game impossible. It’s common for companies to go through prosperity or crisis financial status, and unfortunately, Badland Games was going through an extremely difficult time at that moment.
“Over the next few months we were forced to focus on getting the business and jobs afloat and seeking funding, both from banks and private investors, to get the company through. This is why the payment of the invoices to the Tom Happ Foundation could not be completed.
“The only thing I asked from these two companies was that the payment of the debt be made around a plan that at that moment we could face and with the will to accomplish them as it has been done with the rest of partners or companies with which a debt had been incurred.
“The last request for negotiation on our part was not accepted, nor was the payment, options that would probably have been accepted if Badland Games had been more proactive on this issue, during this period of economic difficulties.
“On the other hand, I find it hard to hear that I am accused of taking advantage of a child’s illness, when I suffered it with my own child until only two weeks ago, when he stopped taking medication from birth and is now 4 years old.”
What Quintans is referring to is a deal that Badland Games supposedly established with Tom Happ, the developer of Axiom Verge, to help push the proceeds toward a trust fund to pay for the medical expenses of Happ’s child.
According to the producer of Axiom Verge, Dan Adelman, Badland Games had not held up their end of the bargain.
Nevertheless, Quintans went on to say…
“That’s why when the Axiom Verge agreement was proposed we not hesitate to take it forward without making it public on our part because our only will was to help.
“I understand that, due to the extreme situation we were going through, our way of doing things has not been ideal, and I am sorry for the damages this has caused to the parties involved, but I want to reiterate that I am still willing to reach out and assume the payment of the debt, which I have never refused, to avoid further damage to companies and people involve in this situation.
“In fact, before that, the profits obtained by the publication of our first digital title AWE during the first 3 months were donated to Juegaterapia and later we made the development of the game Leopoldo Manquiseil as support to our partner David Santos.
“This event is not going to change my way of proceeding or my values, and I will continue to support as much as I can game development or anyone who asks me for help. Likewise, and due to the seriousness of some of the accusations that have been made in relation to this issue, I have been forced to put this matter in the hands of my lawyers, who reserve the right to take legal action against anyone who might make public inaccurate or false information harmful to the interest of the company in which I now work, Badland Publishing, or my own.
“I make myself available to anyone who reads this document to expand on this information and to show the documentation that is required from me.
“Finally, I would like to thank the many friends and professionals in the industry, who know me well and who have shown me their support and confidence in spite of everything that has been said.”
Unfortunately Quintans doesn’t say when Badland will fulfill their financial duties and pay the debt that Adelman and Happ are owed. They did mention to GamesIndustry.biz that they were planning on paying back Limited Run Games for the funds that they were owed after Limited Run got lawyers involved.
Adelman and Happ have also involved lawyers, so it’s a matter of when Badland will be able to pay the debts and not if they will be able to pay what’s owed to the involved parties.
(Thanks for the news tip Blaugast)
