Crytek sues Star Citizen maker

Crytek accuses Cloud Imperium Games and Roberts Space Industries of not paying for the use of the CryEngine in developing Squadron 42 and Star Citizen. The companies deny they are still using the engine.

Crytek has filed suit with the California Court of Appeal, demanding, among other things, $75,000 in damages, consequential damages and an injunction to cease further use of the engine. The developer claims that marketing materials from Cloud Imperium Games and Roberts Space Industries, both companies of Chris Roberts, show code that makes it clear that Squadron 42 and Star Citizen are using the CryEngine 3.

When starting the games, the engine logo does not appear, and changes are allegedly made to the engine, both in violation of the license agreement. That agreement dates back to when Cloud Imperium Games and Roberts Space Industries officially used the CryEngine for the games. At the end of 2016 they switched to Amazon’s Lumberyard, a fork of CryTek’s engine.

To Polygon, CIG and RSI contradict Crytek’s claims. According to a spokesperson, the companies “have not used the CryEngine for a while” since the switch to Lumberyard. The companies are defending themselves against the claims.