Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Silicon Knights’ troubles continue as Too Human mysteriously vanishes from Xbox Live

Earnest Cavalli
By
Too Human

On November 9, we published a story on the then-current state of the legal battle raging between Silicon Knights and Epic Games for the better part of the last decade. The latter firm claims that the former breached the terms of a contract signed by the two companies that would allow Silicon Knights to use Epic’s ubiquitous Unreal Engine technology to power a number of its planned video games. In turn, Silicon Knights claims that Epic withheld valuable information about the Unreal Engine in an effort to ensure that its own games (most notably the Gears of War series) would be superior to any other action titles using the same engine.

Regardless of which company you’re inclined to side with, it seems that the effects of this battle are finally hitting the common man. “MS & Silicon Knights have pulled all contents of Too Human (GoD, demo, vids, gamer pics, themes) from marketplace…” reads a tweet written by an intensely devoted Xbox Live Arcade fan calling his or herself “sacra.” The tweet also includes a link to the Too Human page on the official Xbox Live Marketplace and just as sacra claimed, the game is not there. Nor are any of the gamerpics or trailers for the game. Everything has simply vanished.

Related Videos

We attempted to contact representatives from both Microsoft and Silicon Knights to get official word on the Too Human removal. We have yet to hear back from Silicon Knights, but Microsoft was kind enough to offer a succinct “no comment” on the issue. With this little to go on, we suspect Too Human’s disappearing act to be a part of a recent judge’s ruling in the Silicon Knights vs. Epic Games case: A court order handed down to Silicon Knights demands that the firm recall all extant copies of Too Human (as well as any other games using the Unreal Engine) still sitting on retail shelves. Though it wasn’t apparent at the time of the ruling, it makes perfect sense that this would also include digital copies available for download from the Xbox Live Marketplace.

Keep in mind that the above is conjecture. For all we know Too Human may have simply been pulled from the Marketplace due to its advanced age (Too Human was originally released in 2008). We hope to have more details on this story shortly, and will be sure to let you know where Too Human has gone just as soon as Silicon Knights, Epic Games, Microsoft or some wing of the United States judiciary branch opts to fill us in on what’s happened here.

In the mean time, we suggest that those of you who already own Too Human be sure to keep your discs and the game’s packaging in pristine condition. If nothing else, this recall should drive up the price of the game among collectors. One company’s legal problems might just be your windfall.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Xbox Series X vs. PS5
Two versions of the PS5 side by side.

The Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 launched at the end of 2020, and while manufacturer shortages made them difficult to find, both systems are now more readily available from various retailers. With that in mind, you might be on the fence about which system to buy. Since both offer similar features, it can be overwhelming when trying to decide which system is right for you. Thankfully, we've spent a considerable amount of time with each, allowing us to assist you in making an informed buying decision.
In this guide, we'll compare specs, design, game lineups, and a host of other important factors so you can pick the best console.
Recommended reading:

Best Xbox Series X games
PS5 vs. PS5 Digital Edition
Best PS5 games

Read more
Xbox Series X vs. Series S
Xbox Series X Stylized Graphic

The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S represent Microsoft's fourth-generation home video game consoles designed around AMD's 8-Core Zen 2 CPU and Radeon RDNA 2 graphics architecture. The two consoles succeed the Xbox One X and Xbox One S, offering better performance and more power across the board. New features include display resolutions up to 8K, built-in solid-state drives for faster access times, and support for real-time ray tracing.

With two powerful consoles available, it's important to be aware of how they stack up against one another so you can make the most informed buying decision. Here's our Xbox Series X and Series S comparison.
Specifications
 

Read more
Hi-Fi Rush director reveals the secret to making a great music game
Chai points a finger gun at a robot in Hi-Fi Rush.

I’ve never played a rhythm game that keeps me on beat as well as Hi-Fi Rush. While I’m a musically inclined person who fronts his own band, even I have trouble keeping time in music games. I’ll inevitably start to drag behind notes and then speed up too much to overcompensate. Sometimes I lose the music altogether and need to stop clicking entirely just to rediscover the beat. But in Hi-Fi Rush, I always feel like I’m completely locked in as I attack, dodge, and zip to the sound of early 2000s alt-rock.

That’s no accident. For Game Director John Johanas and a small development team within Tango Gameworks, “accessibility” was a keyword when embarking on the unique passion project. Johanas knew that rhythm isn’t something that comes naturally to every player, putting a natural barrier to entry over any game that requires precise beat-matching and button timing. If Hi-Fi Rush was going to be a fun and welcoming experience for a wider range of players, it would require a more flexible approach to design.

Read more