YAEAT: EA sues Zynga for copyright infringement on new "Ville" game.

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
The Ville looks a lot like the Sims for sure. The two games are virtually identical in every way. Zygna is claiming EA copied SimCity Social, but Sims and SimCity are established franchises that have been around forever.

Let's also not forget that Zygna blatantly copied NimbleBit's hugely successful Tiny Tower when they made Dream Heights. They also had the audacity to release it shortly after Tiny Tower was named 2011 iPhone Game of the Year by Apple.

Zygna can't die soon enough. Everything about them feels so shady.
 
thejunglegod

thejunglegod

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2012
1,358
36
91
Yeah. When i first saw those screens, i couldn't actually distinguish the two. Ville seemed like an exact clone of the sims. EAs definitely right on this one.
 
irishScott

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
http://www.forbes.com/sites/danieln...sues-zynga-but-deeper-social-issues-threaten/

EAZynga21.png


Yeah... I'm going with EA on this one. :)
 
C

CU

Platinum Member
Aug 14, 2000
2,419
53
91
The only problem is, does EA have the rights to all isometric life simulators now. What if one company had the rights to all action rpg's or all rts's that wouldn't be good. It is a hard sale for me just based on screen shots. How about game play? Did they add something to it?
 
gorcorps

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,741
456
126
Is this the first lawsuit towards Zynga? I don't think they've done a damn thing original. Every single game of theirs was a copy of something out already, just with less of a multiplayer component.
 
diesbudt

diesbudt

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2012
3,393
0
0
CU said:
The only problem is, does EA have the rights to all isometric life simulators now. What if one company had the rights to all action rpg's or all rts's that wouldn't be good. It is a hard sale for me just based on screen shots. How about game play? Did they add something to it?
Click to expand...

It is exactly the same. And it is not just "life simulators" that is the issue but the fact that it has almost 0 difference between the 2.

EA doesnt have full control on lfie simulators, but from what i read and saw after seeing this thread, it looks almost like an exact duplicate with some graphical changes.
 
C

Cattlegod

Diamond Member
May 22, 2001
8,687
1
0
i thought you couldn't copyright game mechanics and could only protect trademarks? e.g. scrabble and words with friends.
 
Destiny

Destiny

Platinum Member
Jul 6, 2010
2,270
1
0
They are doing whatever they can to pump up their useless stock prices and generate revenue... Zynga games are a fad and people can only hang out in old cool things and jump into the new cool things...

Back in the days we used to hang out at the malls - now people hang out in virtual worlds...D:
 
thejunglegod

thejunglegod

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2012
1,358
36
91
We really cannot hope for EA to burn. They have acquired some of the most creative developers on the planet and losing them might be really really bad for gaming.
 
Red Hawk

Red Hawk

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2011
3,266
169
106
Cattlegod said:
i thought you couldn't copyright game mechanics and could only protect trademarks? e.g. scrabble and words with friends.
Click to expand...

You can't copyright, but you can patent certain game mechanics, IIRC. For example, there's some patented mechanics in World of Warcraft so no other MMO is allowed to use them.
 
diesbudt

diesbudt

Diamond Member
Jun 1, 2012
3,393
0
0
Red Hawk said:
You can't copyright, but you can patent certain game mechanics, IIRC. For example, there's some patented mechanics in World of Warcraft so no other MMO is allowed to use them.
Click to expand...

This. However, patents are a tricky business.

In the digital age most patents have a lifespan. After it is done, anyone can use it. However, said company could appeal to congress to allow an extension for a price.

Disney was about to have Mickey mouses patent/trademark/copyright end in the next year or so. But they pulled strings and appealed very strongly to congress to allow longer use.
 
PingSpike

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,765
615
126
thejunglegod said:
We really cannot hope for EA to burn. They have acquired some of the most creative developers on the planet and losing them might be really really bad for gaming.
Click to expand...

I kind of doubt that EA's entire workforce would be incinerated upon their bankruptcy.
 
Arg Clin

Arg Clin

Senior member
Oct 24, 2010
416
0
76
Goes to show what a one hit wonder Zynga might be. They desperately need something to keep the customers attention, and obviously lack the creative skills to create anything new and exciting themselves.

Not really a surprise, judging by the stupidity of Zynga games in general.

Hope they die off rather sooner than later so their slice of the market pie can go to developers that actually bring quality content to the table.

[end of Zynga rant]
 
P

PowerYoga

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2001
4,603
0
0
the zynga CEO personally said they don't want to innovate. They want to rip off the most popular games and that's it. I can't say I'll miss zynga at all.
 
waggy

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
Zynga has a reputation on copying games. they usually steal from small publishers who don't have the money to fight them.they picked a wrong target to copy EA has shit tons of money.


hehe this image is great

MFJBi.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom