French developer In-Fusio is suing Microsoft for trying to stop the $2 million Mobile phone deal the two companies have. This deal was made in September 2005 to at first distribute Mobile phone content such as Halo wallpapers and ringtones. But the recent lawsuit seeking damages from Microsoft describes these content services as a prelude to a full Mobile game.
According to Gamesindustry In-Fusio claims Microsoft has refused to approve its game designs, leading the Mobile developer to withhold the second of four $500,000 payments. Microsoft in turn is citing this lack of payment is justification for ending the agreement.
In-Fusio now believes the Xbox manufacturer has purposefully ignored efforts to create a title, stating in the suit that: “Microsoft has thwarted In-Fusio’s efforts to develop Halo under the agreement. — Indeed, in the last 11 months, Microsoft has approved no fully developed In-Fusio game designs; ignoring and then refusing to accept In-Fusio’s game design concepts with little or no explanation and leaving In-Fusio little basis to revise its concepts to obtain Microsoft’s approval.”
Maybe no one will miss Halo Mobile with Halo 3 coming from Bungie this year. But In-Fusio has had Microsoft’s permission to release various other Mobile phone games from them, like: Age of Empires II Mobile, Zoo Tycoon 2 Mobile, Midtown Madness 3 2D & 3D, Banjo-Kazooie Mobile, It’s Mr. Pants Mobile, and Sabre Wulf Mobile.