Earlier this week, we reported on
a case of copycatting in the Canadian app store.
The Chinese-based EGLS allegedly took most of the audio and visual assets from Runic Games's
Torchlight and tried to pass them off as their own in the newly-launched
Armed Heroes Online.
Runic noticed, and was singularly unamused.
Since calling EGLS out on Twitter and filing a takedown order with Apple, Runic has continued to insist that EGLS stole their
Torchlight assets while EGLS has denied these allegations, stating that their game was merely inspired by Runic's game.
In an interview with
Joystiq, Runic's president Travis Baldree noted exactly how creative EGLS was with their use of the word 'inspired':
"I also downloaded the app, and you can just unzip them and look at any iPhone app. And there was a sound manifest that listed all the sound files in the game, and they were verbatim all of our sound files, including our own misspellings,"
Kicked in the Rebuttal EGLS responded to Runic’s continued pressure by way of a press release that claims they did nothing wrong:
"Players always come first. There[sic], we prefer to modify some parts of Armed Heroes Online where have caused those disputes rather than go on arguing. As long as this carves out a way out of angry disputes, it will be definitely worth our efforts."
"At last, we want to make clear, if necessary, that we would like to submit the documents, files and other materials related to the game developing to Apple to prove the originalities of the game and the efforts we devoted into the game developing."
If Baldree is correct in his assertion that the audio manifests of
Armed Heroes Online are identical to those of
Torchlight, it is difficult to see how EGLS plans to convince Apple that their game was not based on a theft of assets.
In the meantime,
Armed Heroes has been taking down from the App Store for the modifications.
The Verge
Joined:
Oct 2011
Post count:
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Teaweasel | 18:42 - 20 July 2012
Personally. I kinda care and I kinda don't. I don't want a stolen game on the AppStore making money fir people who don't deserve it for the work put in. But that's my moral good guy side talking. The fact is the game rocks, and is fun and I just kinda wanna play it. I say this in response to the guy who said Ban these Cold Sesame Noodles, I would rather see them fix their obvious theft and gimme a great game.
Joined:
Apr 2011
Post count:
242
NotSpam | 11:53 - 20 July 2012
If it's copy and it's borderline damning evidence, Apple should BAN these guys for good.
>"and they were verbatim all of our sound files, including our own misspellings,"
ROFL: THAT IS COPYING, anyone who's looked at plagiarism knows that one.
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