One of the Indonesian studios has been accused by UK Publisher PQube Games of claiming a diversity grant on their behalf and then not paying them the grant.
Toge Productions and Mojiken Studio signed a contract with PQube to manage the publishing on consoles of their coming title A Space for the Unbound.
But, Toge and Mojiken now claim that PQube made use of the fact that their studios are located in Indonesia to secure the diversity fund that was sourced from “a well-known console platform” but then chose to not give the money to the studios.
Instead, the studios say claim that PQube “intentionally withheld information about the grant and used it as leverage for their own commercial gain”.
A SPACE FOR THE UNBOUND – TRAILER
UPDATE: PQUBE RESPONDS 24TH AUG 2022 / 1:11 PM
PQube has been able to respond to the accusations.
In a letter to VGC, The publisher states: “We have honored all terms of our publishing contract and have backed Toge Productions at every stage of development of the product throughout their problems and delays.
“This assistance has included providing substantial additional funding, in addition to and above grant funds for development marketing, porting, and development.
“Toge Productions has been trying for an extended period of time to enforce unilaterally absurdly revised terms to our contract. It is disappointing to see that, because of this, they have not succeeded in reaching that goal, despite the significant efforts of PQube to make this happen and to resolve the issue by this method. We will address the issue through the proper channels”.
In a joint announcement via Twitter, the developers revealed the fact that A Space for the Unbound was “delayed until further notice” as they searched for an alternative publisher for the games for the console.
“Earlier this year we discovered that PQube Games, a UK-based publisher that we signed for the console publishing of A Space For The Unbound for western regions, had done certain things which have left us feeling manipulated and exploited, and so we have had to terminate our agreement with them,” the statement states.
“At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was threatening to strike in August 2020, PQube Games used our position and experience as game developers from Indonesia to secure the diversity fund of the well-known console platform. It was a grant program designed to assist game developers who are underrepresented, particularly during the time of the pandemic.
“However instead of providing the money to the developers in the manner the grant meant to be, PQube Games intentionally withheld details about the grant, and then made use of it as a tool for their own commercial gains.
“Rather than transferring the grant funds towards us PQube Games hid the details of the grant’s award and added it to their minimum guarantee that could be recouped and later utilized it to negotiate the increment of the revenue portion. We’ve only found the actual amount of the funds and the purpose for which they were intended in March 2022.
“We are extremely disappointed that a group we collaborated with could do this and a project that we spent seven years working on was taken advantage of in this way.
“Since the revelation of this problem We have no confidence in PQube Games nor continue to collaborate to release A Space For The Unbound since PQube Games has fallen considerably short not just of the standard of morality as well as the obligations they have to us as a result of the predatory practices they employ.
“We need to take the case against publishers who are exploiting players and voice our opinion to prevent similar situations from occurring again at some point in the near future. We are declaring that we have ended our agreement with PQube Games.
“As at this time, PQube Games is still refusing to give the publishing control for consoles in our favor. It is with heavy hearts that we have to delay the publication of A Space For The Unbound to allow us to make changes and ensure that the book is released according to the plan and in a manner that is in line with our values of our community.”
VGC has reached out to PQube to discuss the allegations.