UPDATED: Fan-Run Shin Megami Tensei MMO Server Faces Court Date From Atlus

Remember Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine? If not, it was an MMO in the Shin Megami Tensei universe that released back in 2007-2009 depending on your location in this wonderful world. The game focused on demons and contracts with them (of course) in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo and had all the trappings of an offline Shin Megami Tensei title...which made sense since it started life as a canceled online version on SMT: Nine.

The game, despite being rather well received, closed down in 2014 or 2016 (again, depending on where you live) and many have wanted an official SMT MMO since.

The "ReImagine Project" brought the game back in 2020 as a fan-supported version much like we've seen with other retired MMORPGs.

And just like some of those other projects, this one is being sued by Atlus who claims the existence of the server has "caused and will continue to cause irreparable damage to Atlus unless restrained by this Court."

Atlus is seeking the shutdown of all websites and servers related to the project and $25,000 "per incident" ( a determination the court will be asked to make) run by Rekuiemu and COMP_Hack (kind of like ReImagine's "competitors.")

The news was noticed by Marsh on Twitter (and expanded on via VGC):

damn wait this wasnt a prank at all atlus really is suing the imagine fan server pic.twitter.com/UBeoobSlTF

— Marsh (@MarshSMT) September 26, 2022

We'll keep you posted on any developments as the case slams up against calls for preservation in video games and updates to some copyright laws that could be applicable here...we'll see! As of this exact moment though, the ReImagine Online website doesn't seem to be available.

UPDATE: ReImagine has shut things down out of caution. While this suit wasn't specifically directed at them yet, they have pulled the game, Discord, website, and other portals out of caution according to a Discord message shared by many Twitter users, including Devil Summoner Blaze and The Massive Dud.