Dino Patti and Arnt Jensen, the creative minds behind Playdead, are currently entangled in a public disagreement concerning intellectual property rights. This conflict first broke the surface following a disappearing LinkedIn post from 2024. In this post, Patti displayed an image owned by Jensen, leading Jensen to request compensation to the tune of DKK 500,000 or about $72,600, as noted by Game Developer.
Jensen’s legal team has issued a formal warning regarding Patti’s actions. “We want to make it clear that your ongoing use of Playdead’s intellectual assets and any sharing of confidential insights about Playdead for commercial gain is a breach of confidentiality agreements,” their statement mentioned. This correspondence, which Patti cheekily dubbed a “legal love letter,” was also shared on LinkedIn.
The legal team further accused Patti of overstating his role in the creative development of the game Limbo, suggesting that such claims could mislead industry peers and partners. According to them, while Patti may have shared insights into the development process, he was not a pivotal creative contributor.
In response, Patti has alleged that Jensen has a history of trying to intimidate him, a pattern he claims has driven him to make these issues public.
Playdead reached out to Game Developer, asserting that they have issued formal demands to Patti over what they describe as “misuse and unauthorized use” of their intellectual property and branding. The studio emphasized that these steps are crucial for safeguarding their trade names and copyrighted material, which hold significant value for their business integrity and identity.
For those not in the know, Playdead made its mark with the releases of Limbo in 2010 and Inside in 2016, both celebrated as indie gaming gems. The company was founded in [year not provided], but in 2016, Patti chose to part ways with the studio amid rumors of a fall-out with Jensen.
