Friday the 13th Remastered Cancelled as Horror, Inc. and Gun Interactive Begin Legal War
The long-running legal troubles surrounding Friday the 13th have taken another dramatic turn. Horror, Inc. has filed a lawsuit against Gun Interactive over Friday the 13th: The Game, accusing the developer of failing to pay the full amount of royalties allegedly owed under their agreement.
Gun Interactive has now responded publicly to the lawsuit, making it clear that it intends to fight the case rather than settle the dispute. The legal battle also appears to have brought an end to hopes for a remastered version of the game, with Friday the 13th Remastered now effectively cancelled.
According to Gun, the dispute centers on approximately $4 million in additional royalties that Horror, Inc. is seeking through what the developer describes as “disputed accounting methodologies.” Gun strongly denies that it withheld money from its partner and claims that it paid more than $18 million in royalties throughout the game’s lifetime.
The developer also argues that Horror, Inc.’s representatives had previously reviewed and approved the financial accountings provided by Gun. In Gun’s view, the new lawsuit therefore represents an attempt to obtain additional money years after the game’s commercial life had already come to an end.
A Franchise Already Buried in Legal Problems
Gun’s statement places the latest lawsuit within the broader legal history of the Friday the 13th franchise.
The developer points to the long-running dispute between Horror, Inc. and Victor Miller, the screenwriter of the original Friday the 13th. Horror, Inc. spent several years fighting Miller over the rights to his screenplay, ultimately losing the case and subsequently losing its appeal.
Gun argues that the legal dispute had a direct impact on Friday the 13th: The Game. According to the developer, the uncertainty surrounding the franchise’s rights prevented new content from being produced while the litigation was ongoing.
The situation became even more damaging when the game’s license eventually expired. Friday the 13th: The Game was removed from digital storefronts and its servers were eventually shut down, bringing the game’s active life to an end.
Gun claims that it had even offered to continue paying to keep the servers operational.
Gun Says It Wanted to Remaster the Game
Perhaps the most significant revelation in Gun’s statement concerns the future of the game.
Gun says that, following the resolution of the legal dispute involving Victor Miller, it still wanted to work with Horror, Inc. to bring Friday the 13th: The Game back through a remastered release.
According to the developer, however, Horror, Inc. allowed the existing license to expire instead of pursuing that opportunity.
That means the long-discussed possibility of a Friday the 13th Remastered has effectively collapsed. For fans who had hoped to see the game return with improved visuals, new content and modernized features, the latest legal confrontation represents another major setback.
Gun: “We Will Not Be Bullied”
Gun Interactive’s response is particularly aggressive in its characterization of the lawsuit.
The company maintains that it paid every dollar it believes Horror, Inc. was contractually entitled to receive and rejects the claim that additional royalties are owed.
Gun also accuses Horror, Inc. of putting financial interests ahead of the relationship between the companies and the interests of the game’s fanbase.
The developer says it is prepared to fight the lawsuit and will not pay additional money simply because of the cost and pressure associated with prolonged litigation.
“Gun intends to fight this lawsuit,” the company stated.
The developer also argues that it has already carried much of the public criticism surrounding the game’s troubled history and believes it is now time to push back against what it considers unfair treatment.
Another Blow for Friday the 13th Fans
For the community, the dispute is yet another chapter in an increasingly complicated history surrounding the franchise.
Friday the 13th: The Game managed to build a dedicated player base and became one of the most recognizable asymmetric horror games of its era. However, legal disputes surrounding the franchise’s rights eventually prevented the game from receiving the continued support and new content that fans had hoped for.
Now, instead of a return, the game is caught in another legal battle.
Horror, Inc.’s lawsuit and Gun Interactive’s decision to fight it could potentially determine whether the two companies have any future working relationship. For now, however, the prospects of seeing Friday the 13th: The Game officially return appear even more distant.
The latest development is particularly disappointing for fans because Gun says it had wanted to give the game “a real second life.” With the remaster now off the table and the two companies facing each other in court, Jason Voorhees return to the world of video games remains as uncertain as ever.
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