THE DIGITAL Hub has requested a meeting with the management of a tenant company over its alleged involvement with a computer games firm in Australia that wound up last month owing more than AUS$1.5 million (€993,000).
The company, Big Collision Games, has agreed to a meeting when it formally occupies its Irish office some time later this month or in April. It signed an agreement in December to take space at the Digital Hub, a State-funded incubation facility for digital media and games companies.
The rent agreement with the Digital Hub was signed two months before computer games firm Interzone closed its Australian office.
According to reports, Interzone left Australia with a tax debt of more than Aus$1 million. Former Interzone employees claim they are owed more than Aus$500,000 in unpaid wages.
Big Collision Games is a separate legal entity to the one that was operating as Interzone Pty in Australia. It was registered as an Irish company on July 21st last year. Two of its directors, Marty Brickey and Greg Chadwell, are also listed as directors of Interzone.
Although the office space at the Digital Hub has not yet been occupied, The Irish Timesunderstands that the company is renting two desks at the business incubation facility. Big Collision Games is currently advertising several jobs at the Irish office on its website.
Interzone received government grants for setting up offices in Australia but Enterprise Ireland and the IDA confirmed they had not given any funds to Big Collision Games.
Reports online allege that Interzone’s US management removed intellectual property from the Australian office last month so that it could continue production elsewhere. The company is aiming to release a game called Interzone Futebol in time for this summer’s World Cup.
A spokesperson for the Digital Hub said it was “keeping the matter under review, and will consider any other information brought to its attention”.
Mr Brickey, chief executive of Big Collision Games, said he would not comment on matters at Interzone due to pending court proceedings in Australia.
He said Big Collision Games was a separate entity and was a games publisher, which has a different business model to games development.
