Maid of Sker dev hit with legal threat over promo materials

Wales Interactive announced Maid of Sker just last week, and already this horror-themed adventure could be in hot water. That's because the owner of the house that features centrally in the mythology surrounding the game is none too pleased about the building being included in the early marketing for it.

Sker House can be found near Porthcawl in South Wales, and legend has it that it's one of the most haunted buildings in the UK. Here's the description for the game, which gives you some idea as to the theme and story:

"Set in 1892 and based on the haunting true story of Elizabeth Williams, you play as Thomas Evans, a musician who is thrust into a terrifying battle to save the woman he loves.

"Expect a story of forbidden love within a family empire driven by torture, slavery, piracy and a supernatural mystery that suffocates the grounds of Sker House."

The action takes place around a fictional version of a Sker House, although the real building was used in the initial marketing push for the game. Apparently, the owner of the house only found out about this via a post on Instagram, and according to a report over on Eurogamer they're not particularly pleased about that fact and they're considering legal action.

The house has been used previously when exploring haunted houses on television, and up until 2013 it was open to the public as part of the condition of its sale to the current owner, and therefore Wales Interactive seems confident in the way that the imagery of the house has been used. In a statement sent to Eurogamer, the company wrote:

"We believe [estate manager] is irate because of trespassers - possibly ghost hunters - on the grounds taking pictures of the house because of the Maid of Sker game announcement.

"Perhaps it's to do with the fact it's Halloween and Sker House is renowned for its haunting history that's inspired many stories over the years. Whatever the reason, we are well within our rights to mention the history of the house.

"Since the game announcement - and as a courtesy to the contact - we have edited our content to tone down the use of Sker House and have not used any pictures of the real house. However, this is not a legal requirement."

Check out last week's announcement trailer to get a better idea of what the game's about.