Silicon Knights ordered to destroy all Unreal code and products

Silicon Knights has until December 10 this year to destroy any software it developed with Epic Games' Unreal Engine.

The ruling was a part of the fallout from the Canadian developers' widely reported court case with Epic Games, which concluded in May this year. Silicon Knights initially sought damages of $58 million on the grounds that Epic had failed to offer appropriate support during the development of Too Human. However, the jury ruled in Epic's favour, and ordered Silicon Knights to pay $4.5 million.

But there was another aspect of the ruling - noticed by NeoGAF forum user Xenon - stipulating that Silicon Knights must “destroy all versions of [Unreal Engine] technology in its possession.” That includes the game code and engine code for Too Human, The Box/Ritualyst, The Sandman, Siren in the Maelstrom and X-Men: Destiny.

The injunction also orders Silicon Knights to cease future production and distribution of the games in question, and recall and destroy all unsold copies at its own expense.

This could prove decisive for the future of Silicon Knights. A recent report on the development of the critical and commercial flop X-Men: Destiny, published by Kotaku, alleged that the company now has fewer than five employees and limited financial resources.

Silicon Knights is due to notify both the court and Epic Games of its compliance no later than December 21 this year, with further contact to be made on February 21 2013.