Popular game developer and entertainment company Square Enix has filed a lawsuit against Chinese company HK TEN TREE LIMITED (Ten Tree) regarding its game METAL STORM (Onish) released last year.

The Square Enix lawsuit alleges METAL STORM violates the copyright of its Front Mission IP. Notably, while Square Enix permitted another company to develop a game based on Front Missionthis license agreement was later terminated. Square Enix alleges that Ten Tree comprises members of that other company using assets it never had permission to release.

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While never giving permission to Ten Tree, Square Enix says it did license the Front Mission IP to Shanghai Zishun Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Zishun) in 2019 to develop and operate a game worldwide. This game, Front Mission -2089: Borderscapewas developed but was never released. Square Enix later terminated the license agreement, maintaining that all copyrights remained with Square Enix. Square Enix’s version of events is below:

• October 4, 2019: Square Enix licensed the Front Mission IP to Shanghai Zishun Information Technology Co., Ltd. (Zishun) for the development, localization, publication, distribution, and operation of a new mobile game using the Front Mission IP worldwide, excluding Japan.
• June 3, 2021: The license agreement between Square Enix and Zishun was amended. Details unknown.
• 2019 – 2022: Zishun later developed a title called Front Mission -2089: Borderscape. This was never released and Square Enix maintains that its agreement with Zishun meant it would keep all property rights.
• October 4, 2022: Square Enix and Zishun terminated the license agreement and development of Front Mission -2089: Borderscape.
• October 2024: Ten Tree released METAL STORM (Onish), which “incorporates substantial elements of the Licensed Game (Front Mission -2089: Borderscape), including game mechanics, visual designs, and other protected content.” While their identities are unknown, Square Enix believes that Ten Tree comprises staff who worked on Front Mission -2089: Borderscape.
• December 16, 2024: Square Enix sends a formal demand letter to Ten Tree, demanding the removal of infringing content and “written assurances” to prevent continued infringement.
• January 17, 2025: Ten Tree responds, acknowledging that it has changed certain aspects of METAL STORM. Square Enix says not all infringing content was removed and Ten Tree did not provide written assurances that it would prevent future infringement.
• February 17, 2025: Square Enix sent DMCA takedown notices to Valve (operator of Steam), Apple, and Google requesting the removal of METAL STORM.
• February 21, 2025: Valve removes METAL STORM from Steam.
• February 22, 2025: Ten Tree contested Square Enix’s DMCA takedown request.
• March 4, 2025: Square Enix files a legal complaint in the Tokyo District Court regarding copyright infringement.
• March 13, 2025: Square Enix filed a legal complaint in the U.S. against Ten Tree alleging copyright infringement.

Square Enix filed the legal complaint at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. It believes the court has jurisdiction because after it filed a DMCA takedown notice with Valve in February, Ten Tree filed a counter-notification with Valve, meaning that it consented to the jurisdiction in which Valve resides in Bellevue, Washington.

Square Enix provided images of the alleged copyright infringement. For each image, the left represents Front Mission -2089: Borderscapeand on the right is METAL STORM:

Square Enix wants a trial by jury and seeks damages and Ten Tree’s profits from METAL STORMwhich are currently unknown. Alternatively, it seeks a maximum of $150,000 for each copyright violation. In addition to those, Square Enix demands reimbursement of attorneys’ fees and full legal costs, and a temporary, preliminary, and permanent injunctive relief to restrain and enjoin Ten Tree’s continued actions.

Front Mission launched in 1995 and is one of Square Enix’s most successful franchises, selling several million copies worldwide. Per Square Enix, the giant mecha game encompasses multiple genres including “turn-based tactical role-playing, real-time strategy (RTS), side-scrolling and third-person shooters, and massively multiplayer online games (MMOs), with an emphasis on the customization of a player’s mecha.”

Five mainline Front Mission games were released, two of which have received recent remakes available on Nintendo Switch, Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Front Mission 3: Remake has been announced; readers can check out the gameplay demo below.

Source: Square Enix Co Ltd v. HK Ten Tree Limited (2:25-cv-00456), via Court Listener
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