Copyright Infringement
Ongoing coverage on Copyright Infringement.
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A working PS4 dashboard was ported to Roblox alongside games like Undertale – it was quickly taken down, but a new…
A fan-made Roblox game, initially called 'PlayStation Experience,' successfully recreated the PlayStation 4 dashboard with playable versions of games like Undertale and The Simpsons: Hit & Run. Despite being quickly taken down by Sony, the developer has released a new version called 'Rostation Experience,' attempting to distance itself from the console maker. The project has sparked discussions about fan creations, copyright, and the use of AI in game development.
Endless pile of Needle In Haystack games begins to emerge, as viral hit imitator's devs claim their code was nicked by a genAI-using clone
Developers at NoGlyph have accused Little Field Studios of copying code from their game, Needle In A Haystack, into their own title, A Game About Needle In A Haystack. The accusation centers on specific code related to the game's core mechanic, with NoGlyph claiming direct code theft rather than just similar ideas. This incident highlights growing developer concerns about AI-assisted game replication and copyright infringement.
Unofficial PS5 pirate store with over 1,600 games taken down before being immediately replaced by a clone, with Pandora's box open following recent jailbreak
An unofficial PlayStation 5 store offering over 1,600 pirated games was quickly replaced by a clone after its initial takedown, highlighting the challenges Sony faces following a recent PS5 jailbreak. This situation is compared to Nintendo's struggles with emulator clones, suggesting a continuous battle against piracy and unauthorized access.
Steam Week in Review: The curious case of Wonder Boy in Monster Land's dubious PC debut
A PC version of Wonder Boy in Monster Land, released on Steam by Retro Maniac, is alleged to be an illegitimate ROM running in an emulator, lacking official licensing from SEGA or LAT Corp. The listing has been flagged for potential copyright infringement and is reportedly being processed for removal, highlighting issues with intellectual property rights and the availability of classic games on modern platforms.
US court orders Redditor to pay Nintendo £3.4m over Switch piracy
A US District Judge has ordered Redditor James Williams, known as "Archbox" and a moderator for r/SwitchPirates, to pay Nintendo $4.5 million (£3.4 million) in damages for facilitating Nintendo Switch game piracy. The judgment includes $150,000 for each of the 30 pirated games, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. Williams failed to respond to the lawsuit, leading to a default judgment and a permanent injunction against further distribution of pirated Nintendo content.
Switch Pirate Ignored Nintendo’s Lawsuit, Now He Owes $4.5 Million
A former Reddit moderator, James Williams, has been ordered by a Washington court to pay Nintendo $4.5 million in damages for illegally distributing Nintendo Switch games. The lawsuit, filed in June 2024, accused Williams of using circumvention software to bypass Nintendo's systems and distribute over 30 titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Despite being aware of the case, Williams failed to respond, leading Judge Lauren King to award Nintendo the statutory maximum penalty.
Rockstar Games Is Taking Down Footage and Images of Scrapped GTA 5 DLC And Early Version of Leaked GTA 6 Map
Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, is actively removing videos and posts containing leaked content from Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto VI. This action indicates a strong stance against the unauthorized sharing of game assets and development materials.
MiHoYo awarded $112,000 by Chinese court after AI voice service dupes Genshin Impact characters
MiHoYo has won a legal victory in China, with a Shanghai court ordering an unnamed generative AI developer to pay approximately $112,000 for illegally replicating and selling the voices of 63 Genshin Impact characters. The court found the defendant used AI to reproduce the voices, along with game assets, to advertise and sell illicit voice packs, demonstrating an intent to capitalize on the game's popularity.
OpenAI employee takes down ChatGPT-coded RuneScape clone following Jagex cease-and-desist
OpenAI employee Rohan Varma has taken down Elderwood, an AI-coded RuneScape clone, following community backlash and a cease-and-desist request from Jagex. Varma, who worked on OpenAI's Codex project, used the AI tool to build the game, which closely resembled Old School RuneScape. The clone was active for only a few days before being shut down due to copyright concerns.
Genshin Impact dev HoYoverse wins $112,000 in court after AI company stole 63 of its characters' voices
HoYoverse has been awarded approximately $112,000 in a Shanghai court after an unnamed AI service provider was found to have wrongfully reproduced 63 Genshin Impact characters' voices and used modified character images to promote its AI voice packs. The court ruled this constituted copyright infringement and unjust competition, ordering the AI company to cease its infringing behaviors. The AI company has withdrawn its appeal, making the payment inevitable.
ChatGPT employee’s vibecoded Old School RuneScape ripoff lived for three days before a legal takedown
A game called Elderwood, created by a ChatGPT employee, was taken down by Jagex after only three days of operation due to copyright infringement concerns. The game, which was an "AI vibecoded" ripoff of Old School RuneScape, was developed quickly and cheaply using AI tools. The swift shutdown was met with celebration by the RuneScape community.
Nintendo wins legal battle against Mig Switch cards in the Netherlands, says the decision will benefit "many video…
Nintendo has won a legal victory in the Netherlands against an online retailer selling 'Mig Switch Cards,' which are used to circumvent console security. A Dutch court ruled that offering these devices infringes on Nintendo's copyrights and ordered the seller to cease operations. While Nintendo emphasizes protecting legitimate game sales, the article also notes the role such devices can play in game preservation.
ChatGPT employee makes a "RuneScape clone," immediately gets slapped by Jagex lawyers, then acts like he's leaving some great legacy behind in a goodbye post surely written by AI
Jagex, the developer of RuneScape, has issued a legal notice to shut down Elderwood, a game created by ChatGPT employee Rohan Varma that was openly described as a RuneScape clone. The game has since been discontinued, with Varma attributing the closure to the legal action. The article highlights the blatant copying of RuneScape's assets and mechanics, and the negative reception from the RuneScape community.
Trump Administration takes down Tetris clone after company warns it takes copyright violation 'very seriously'
The Trump administration's website featured a Tetris clone game called 'Build the Wall,' which has since been removed. The Tetris Company publicly disavowed the game, stating they take copyright infringement very seriously and do not support dividing people. The game was criticized for promoting racist depictions and its mechanics made it impossible to win.
Just days after The Tetris Company warned that 'we take copyright infringement very seriously,' the Tetris clone in the White House Arcade suddenly disappears
A Tetris clone game called 'Build the Wall,' featured in the White House's virtual arcade and promoting elements of Donald Trump's agenda, has been removed shortly after The Tetris Company issued a strong warning against copyright infringement. The Tetris Company clarified it was not involved in the game's creation and emphasized its belief in connection over division, contrasting with other companies whose intellectual properties have been used by the White House without permission.
The Tetris Company says it was "not involved in the creation" of White House parody, takes "copyright infringement very seriously"
The Tetris Company has stated it was not involved in the creation of a parody game called 'Build the Wall: Zombie Border Siege' that was featured on a US government minigame site. The company takes copyright infringement seriously and emphasized its belief in connection rather than division. The parody game, which involved building a wall to keep out 'aliens,' has since been removed.
Trump regime's Tetris ripoff yanked from White House website after Tetris Company declare they "take copyright infringement very seriously"
The US government has removed the Tetris-style game 'Build the Wall' from the White House website following a statement from The Tetris Company expressing concerns about copyright infringement and their brand values. The game, which promoted the Trump administration's immigration policies, has been replaced by other parody games.
"We believe in the power of connection": Donald Trump Tetris parody game rouses the mildly worded wrath of the Tetris Company
The Tetris Company has expressed its displeasure with a parody game called "Build the Wall," which uses Tetris mechanics to promote Donald Trump's border rhetoric. The company stated it takes copyright infringement seriously and was not involved in the game's creation, hinting at potential legal action. The game, alongside other Trump-themed propaganda games, uses familiar mechanics to push political messages.
The Tetris Company confirms it had nothing to do with the White House's racist rip-off: 'we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them'
The Tetris Company has publicly stated it was not involved in the creation of the White House's 'Build the Wall' game, a reskinned version of Tetris used for political messaging. The company emphasized its belief in connection and bringing people together, not division, and is taking copyright infringement seriously. This statement follows criticism from other game developers and companies, like Halo's co-creator Marcus Lehto and The Pokémon Company, regarding the government's use of video games for propaganda.
Two more news organizations sue OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement
The Seattle Times and Newsday have filed lawsuits against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing the AI companies of using their copyrighted content without permission. This legal action follows similar suits from other news organizations regarding the use of journalistic material in AI training.