Game Clones
Ongoing coverage on Game Clones.
Latest coverage
"What in the vibe-coded s*** is this" - RuneScape players revolt as gen-AI copycat game appears and eventually attracts the eye of Jagex
An AI-generated clone of Old School RuneScape, named Elderwood and created by an OpenAI employee, has been shut down following a notice from Jagex. The clone sparked significant backlash from the RuneScape community due to its blatant copying and concerns about generative AI's impact on the game, particularly regarding bots. While the clone offered new areas and features, its operation was discontinued after community outcry and Jagex's intervention.
The Tetris Company wants nothing to do with the White House's new copycat game
The Tetris Company has expressed its disapproval of 'Build the Wall,' a game hosted on the White House website that it considers a Tetris knockoff. The company wants no association with the game, which is one of six new titles featured on the official White House site.
Tetris Responds After Trump Administration Launches 'Build the Wall' Clone Game
The official Tetris pages have issued a response after the Trump administration released a video game clone titled 'Build the Wall.' The response indicates a negative sentiment towards the unauthorized clone.
Roblox clones of Meccha Chameleon have more players than the original Steam sensation after just 3 weeks
Roblox clones of the indie hit Meccha Chameleon are reportedly surpassing the original game in daily player counts, despite the original selling 15 million copies in under a month. While Meccha Chameleon currently has around 55,000 daily players on Steam, its Roblox counterparts are attracting between 150,000 and 200,000 users. This phenomenon highlights Roblox's significant user base and its tendency to foster popular game clones.
The devil works hard but AI ripoffs work harder as Meccha Chameleon falls victim to hordes of copycats coming out of the…
The indie game Meccha Chameleon has become the latest victim of numerous copycat titles appearing on platforms like Steam, Fortnite, and Roblox. Games such as Scribble Hunt share striking similarities in gameplay and UI, with some even using AI disclosures for their rapid development. This trend highlights the challenges indie developers face with their concepts being quickly replicated.
"Good games will get cloned and buried" – AI vibe coding is one of the biggest threats on storefronts…
Industry analyst Mat Piscatella warns that AI-assisted game development, specifically "vibe coding," poses a significant threat to game discovery on digital storefronts like Steam. This technology allows for rapid cloning of existing games, potentially burying original titles and making it even harder for new games to gain visibility. Piscatella expresses concern that this trend, combined with the already challenging discovery landscape, is detrimental to the market.
Meccha Chameleon awarded Steam's highest honor: a fast-follow AI ripoff that even uses the same name in some…
The popular Steam game Meccha Chameleon, which has sold over seven million copies, is facing a direct clone called Scribble Hunt. Developed by Scribble Bunny, Scribble Hunt features similar hide-and-seek gameplay and even uses "Meccha Chameleon" as its translated name in Korean. The game also features AI-generated art and is set to launch this month.
Nintendo eShop Continues Its War Against Quality With This Dead Space And Gears Of War Knockoff
The Nintendo eShop is criticized for being oversaturated with low-quality games and clones, exemplified by the upcoming 'Dead Gears: Space of War.' Despite Nintendo's efforts to curb shovelware, the marketplace remains flooded with asset flips and misleading promotions, a problem also present on other platforms like PlayStation and Steam, though Sony has recently taken steps to address it.
Random: That's Not 'Gears Of War' Or 'Dead Space', Just Another Terrible eShop Clone
The Nintendo eShop continues to host blatant rip-off games, with 'Dead Gears - Space of War' being the latest example. This title directly imitates elements from 'Gears of War' and 'Dead Space', highlighting an ongoing issue with low-quality clones on the digital storefront. Publisher Consann Real Estate has a history of releasing similar derivative titles.
Pokemon and Palworld clone Pickmos removed from Steam: "We are revising the game to ensure a controversy-free…
The game Pickmos, which was accused of being a clone of Palworld and Pokemon, has been removed from Steam. Its publisher, Networkgo, intervened due to player feedback and concerns about asset flipping and design theft. The developer, PocketGame, is revising the game for a controversy-free experience and will re-release it after publisher approval.
Pickmon, upcoming Pokemon and Palworld clone, is changing its name
The upcoming game Pickmon, which drew comparisons to Pokemon and Palworld, is changing its name to Pickmos. The developers stated the change is to better align with their brand identity and lore, emphasizing the "Ecosystem" and "Cosmos" aspects of the game. Pickmos is planned for release on Nintendo Switch.
Pocketpair publishing head reacts to Pokemon and Palworld ripoff Pickmon for the first time: "Someone is a fan of…
Pocketpair's publishing lead, John Buckley, reacted to the game Pickmon, which bears striking resemblances to Palworld, Pokemon, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Buckley expressed curiosity about the developer Pocketgame and the origins of Pickmon, noting the proliferation of similar games since Palworld's release and the potential for legal issues.
Pokemon fan artist alleges new Palworld clone Pickmon "stole one of my designs," saying "they didn't even try to change something and make it a bit less obvious"
The game Pickmon is facing accusations of art theft, with a Pokemon fan artist alleging that one of their designs was directly copied without significant alteration. This controversy arises due to Pickmon's striking similarities to both Pokemon and Palworld, with its developer even sharing the name PocketGame, similar to Palworld's developer Pocketpair.
