When Kalashnikov Concern first unveiled its MP-155 Ultima Shotgun in September 2020, it shows some a very futuristic-looking shotgun that we recommended to the airsoft industry to take a look at and work having an airsoft version. It looks like that Russian’s primary weapons company has a unique design that can invite shooters and video games to try it, given that it is video-game inspired.

Well, the problem for Kalashnikov Concern is that is accused by an indie video game developer Ward B of using its designs without permission.

In a story at IGN.com, Ward B has been working on a futuristic first person shooter called “Oceanic” and has been showcasing its weapon designs to help create hype and anticipation for the video game from the gaming community and follow the game’s development progress.

Ward B’s CEO Marcellino Sauceda claimed that in 2020 a contractor of Kalashnikov Concern, Maxim Kuzin, got in touch with the game developer about an interest of one of its gun designs, the EPM28 Mastodon, stating he wanted to pitch it to the Russian company to develop into a real world weapon, as a gun kit for the Baikal MP-155 Shotgun, an affordable Russian hunting shotgun, from there it will then also have airsoft and toy versions of it.

Sauceda said they were excited about the prospect of the idea, given that this marks a first for a video game studio and a firearms company develop a real world weapon based from a video game weapon design. They were happy to sign the contract and proceed. However, the contact seemed to have disappeared and months later, Kalashnikov Concern revealed the MP-155 Ultima Shotgun.

While Sauceda said that at first glance the MP-155 Ultima looks different from the EPM28 Mastodon, there are indications that Kalashnikov Concern started on the Mastodon design before coming up with the final look of the MP-155 Ultima.

It is best to see the comparison between the EPM28 Mastodon and the MP-155 Ultima at IGN.com.

Screenshot of the comparison provided by Ward B taken from IGN.com

As far as Kuzin is concerned, the MP-155 Ultima design is from scratched which Kalashnikov Concern also confirms this and also said that they have not seen the Ward B design. IGN reports that an anonymous message indicates that Kuzin tried to buy the Mastodon design from the concept artist even after speaking with Ward B.

Kalashnikov Concern has also licensed the design of the MP-155 Ultima to the “Escape from Tarkov” video game.

Ward B has dropped their intellectual property claim as they are not able to fund legal representation in Russia. As to whether they will be able to do pursue legal claims in their home country in case Kalashnikov Concern will be exporting the shotgun to their country was not mentioned.