The gaming world is buzzing with news of a heated dispute between Playdead’s original masterminds, Dino Patti and Arnt Jensen, drawing attention to a clash over intellectual property. It all kicked off with a LinkedIn post in 2024, which has since been taken down. Patti posted a photo originally owned by Jensen, triggering a demand from Jensen for compensation amounting to 500,000 Danish Krone (roughly $72,600), according to a report by Game Developer.
In a sharp response, Jensen’s legal team issued a strongly worded message, in which they warned about the misuse of Playdead’s assets. “We must emphasize and advise you against the continued use of any assets belonging to Playdead, along with the exploitation of insider knowledge for commercial gains, as it violates confidentiality agreements.” This “legal love letter” was subsequently shared by Patti on LinkedIn.
The crux of the matter involves Patti allegedly overstating his involvement in creating the 2010 indie hit Limbo. Jensen’s lawyers accused Patti of misleading business partners by suggesting he played a crucial creative role, when in reality, that wasn’t the case.
Patti, on his part, revealed that Jensen has tried to intimidate him in the past, prompting him to speak out.
In an email to Game Developer, Playdead clarified their position, stating they have issued demands to Patti surrounding the alleged “infringement and unauthorized use of Playdead’s trademarks and copyrighted content for both commercial and marketing purposes.”
Playdead emphasized the necessity of these actions to uphold the studio’s integrity and protect its valuable intellectual property.
The studio’s journey began years ago, with roots tracing back to its founding date. Playdead made its mark with two standout indie games, Limbo in 2010 followed by Inside in 2016. Patti departed later that year amidst signs of tension between him and Jensen.
