Ready or Not has returned to Steam. The first-person tactical shooter was taken off the world’s largest PC gaming platform shortly after releasing a new nightclub-themed map on the anniversary of the Pulse shooting that left 49 dead and 53 injured. However, it seems Ready or Not’s removal was due to an alleged copyright infringement and not the controversial new map.In an update posted to the developer’s official Twitter page, Void Interactive confirmed it was a “trademark request” which led to Ready or Not’s temporary removal from Steam."A takedown request was issued via Steam concerning a suggested trademark infringement in our recent Night Club map that was shared as part of our most recent Steam update," the studio wrote. "We take IP concerns very seriously, and in a show of good faith, we decided to remove the subject materials and any reference to them from Ready or Not and from any of our social media or other publications."
Void Interactive promised to return Ready or Not back to Steam after making the adjustments requested by the copyright holder. The game’s recent AI update video was also removed from YouTube for Void Interactive to edit out the offending content. Void did not explicitly state who contacted them to report a trademark dispute, but fans note that the in-game nightclub is called Prysm, which is very similar to a chain of clubs in the UK.
It seems those edits have all been completed as both Ready or Not and the AI update video have returned to their respective platforms. Void Interactive has not addressed accusations of insensitivity for releasing a nightclub-themed map on the anniversary of one of the deadliest mass shootings in US history.
This isn’t the first time Ready or Not has sparked controversy. Team17 dropped developers Void Interactive soon after the game’s early access release last December after Ready or Not added a school shooting scenario.