Japanese game developer Pixel has revealed that their legal battle with former Konami composer Motoaki Furukawa has concluded following a decision by the Sendai High Court on July 7.
In February 2022, Pixel initiated legal action against Furukawa concerning unpaid development costs for Steam Pilots, a vertical-scrolling shooter game that the composer commissioned the company to create. The project, which began in 2019, secured over 10 million yen through crowdfunding. However, development stalled after Pixel claimed they were not paid and the project terms were allegedly altered unilaterally, as reported by Pixel.
Furukawa countered by filing two separate lawsuits the next year—one seeking damages from Pixel as a corporation, and another requesting personal compensation from Pixel’s CEO for emotional distress. Regarding the first lawsuit, where Furukawa sought approximately $47 thousand USD in damages, Pixel contended that Furukawa’s claim was based on the assertion that the game was being developed anew by another developer, yet there was allegedly no concrete proof of development beyond the developer’s own testimony.
The Sendai District Court delivered its initial ruling in January of this year, dismissing both Pixel’s and Furukawa’s lawsuits. However, the court did order Pixel’s CEO to personally compensate Furukawa with 400,000 yen.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Pixel appealed to the Sendai High Court, but the higher court ultimately upheld the initial ruling. In an extensive update on X, which details the lawsuit, Pixel labeled the verdict “completely unacceptable,” criticizing the court for overlooking the circumstances of the crowdfunding campaign.
Pixel had contemplated appealing to the Supreme Court. Nevertheless, the company ultimately decided to accept the verdict, stating that “instead of continuing to be involved in the matter, it is in the company’s best interest to move on.”