MarketJS copying games again

[mentuat]

To quote the MarketJS guy from a previous thread concerning their flagrant copying of other developers games:

Quote

I can say for future games produced, they will be more innovative (we're trying a lot of new things with partners). If there's still concern, please email hello at marketjs dot com, demonstrate that you're the owner, and we'll review your request via email. Hope this helps, thanks.

some previous examples of games they have copied and are still actively selling:

Original game Let Me Grow
MarketJS copy Baby Whale Rescue

Original game Pilot Heroes
MarketJS copy Pilot Training

Original Game: Mini Race Rush
MarketJS copy Monster Truck

 

Below is a few screenshots from their new game Tiny World Golf compared to a game made over 2 years ago Mini Putt

Hey MarketJS, here's a thought -  STOP MAKING CHEAP-ASS COPIES OF OTHER DEVELOPERS GAMES!

 

[Goblet Ed]

That really sucks. Did you email them?

I'm sure they don't really care either way. It's a sad state of affairs.

I can image that they save a load of time and work just copying rather than coming up with their own twist on things.

[mentuat]

1 hour ago, Goblet Ed said:

That really sucks. Did you email them?

I got in touch with them last year about an earlier copied game but they never removed it so I'm just going to call them out here whenever I see them doing it again.

[BobF]

2 hours ago, True Valhalla said:

If I was in the position of any of these developers, I would be taking legal action against MarketJS

Although the frustration of having a game idea copied so closely is certainly understandable, their games don't appear to be illegal copies. As long they are creating their own assets (even if very similar), and they are not making use of trademarked names or copyrighted characters, and they are not infringing on any patents, then they should be in the clear.

[BobF]

4 hours ago, True Valhalla said:

By blatantly copying the expression of the rules and original unique designs, MarketJS are infringing upon the developer's copyright. The developer is within their rights to send a cease and desist letter at the very minimum.

If verbatim, then yes. But in the golf screenshots shown by the OP, MJS created their own expression of the same ideas from the original game's graphics, not an exact copy. As Apple found out when Microsoft introduced Windows, you can't protect the look and feel of your program. But, yeah, there's no harm in sending out a cease and desist.

[mentuat]

actually I'm with BobF on this - there's nothing that any developer can realistically do about this kind of behavior apart from highlight it to other devs/publishers and hope word gets around

If it was direct theft of code/assets I would have issued a DMCA takedown notice

[ozdy]

I keep hearing MarketJS are leader in selling, but I have absolutely no clue to whom they sell. It would be nice if @mentuat contacts those sellers to notify of MarketJS's pathetic strategies, and possible get good deals, as MJS makes worse copies with years delay of his games

[Game.tk]

It's a shame when companies copy other people's creativity but sadly this is how a lot of companies are working in this world.

[BobF]

10 hours ago, True Valhalla said:

You might want to look at those screenshots again - it's what I would call an exact copy, right down to the tiniest details

Hmm... It appears to me the MJS graphics use a different style of flowers, different background pattern, different checker pattern for putting green, etc. Put another way, if you shuffled the screen shots behind your back and then represented them to me I would have no trouble pointing to which ones belong to MJS. If the MJS screenshots were difficult to distinguish from the originals then that would be a different matter. It appears to me MJS knows where the legal line is and has snuggled their games right up to it.

Nolo is a great site with information on IP protection for anyone who is interested, and I have found their books to be very informative.

2 hours ago, ozdy said:

I have absolutely no clue to whom they sell

They list some of their major clients at the bottom of the home page. Wow, there are some heavy hitters in there.

[ozdy]

11 minutes ago, BobF said:

They list some of their major clients at the bottom of the home page. Wow, there are some heavy hitters in there.

I have zero idea where Coca Cola, Toyota, Mercedes, and 90% of those listed clients would put MarketJS's games ...

[totor]

@ozdy, they say they work with coca (and show how on their blog) they don't say they sell those games to them.

the games are very close though, especially Mini Race Rush and Monster Truck. if you run them side by side it's obvious.

[vornay]

If you create a coalition of HTML5 game developers, they can give out awards.  One of those awards could be a "Hall of Shame" for companies that steal game designs.  Whenever one of those bad companies posts somewhere, members could post their link to the "award".

[Jorasso]

Oh, that is really sad that MarketJS became something like this.

[ozdy]

@ben0 , care to comment? This is what you said almost a year ago in here - 

" Hi everyone, I appreciate the comments. We work with partner designers and developers from around the world. We care a lot about the quality of the game, how it performs for the device & user. I can say for future games produced, they will be more innovative (we're trying a lot of new things with partners). If there's still concern, please email hello at marketjs dot com, demonstrate that you're the owner, and we'll review your request via email. Hope this helps, thanks. "

[Jaridion]

21 hours ago, ozdy said:

@ben0 , care to comment? This is what you said almost a year ago in here - 

 

I'd really like some feedback on this as well. 

[Jorasso]

That would be the best... I have a feeling that @ben0 was cheated by lazy developers who simply copied someone else work and he has no idea what is going on... I can't believe that MarketJS as market leader would do something like this with full awareness.

[Goblet Ed]

2 hours ago, True Valhalla said:

If this was the first time that this had occurred, calling it "an accident" would be plausible. But it's happened too many times to too many developers. Ben is just raking in the profits from other developer's hard work. I personally think it's inexcusable...and I used to be a huge fan of MarketJS, even while they were my biggest competitor. I'm just disappointed to see such a major proponent of HTML5 stoop to the level of a common thief for personal gain.

I gotta agree with TV. If you're a successful company making good money off of HTML5 games for a while you should sort of know if the game you're publishing/distributing is not a plagiarized version of an already popular existing HTML5 game.

I'm all for taking existing concepts and giving them your own spin but these kinds of copies are purposefully imitating as much as they can get away with. All with the intent to profit from somebody else's hard work.

[ozdy]

I'm 100% sure MarketJS know about the copying because:

1.) They have been notified before and didn't take any action.

2.) HappyLander is one of the most famous original HTML5 developers and many people know his games.

3.) (The icing on the cake) Their intro says "Designed by MarketJS"

[ben0]

Thank you for the comments. We have placed the game temporarily under review.

We are constantly reviewing our games, and we'll work better to improve the quality with our partners.

For any issues, please email [email protected] directly, and we'll try our best to respond within reasonable timeframes.

Thanks

[mentuat]

4 hours ago, ben0 said:

Thank you for the comments. We have placed the game temporarily under review.

We are constantly reviewing our games, and we'll work better to improve the quality with our partners.

For any issues, please email [email protected] directly, and we'll try our best to respond within reasonable timeframes.

Thanks

I don't mean to criticize your handling of this but you'll find people might respond more positively if you just admitted fault and removed the games in question rather than use the same pseudo corporate PR response as last time.

The games mentioned in the thread last year are still live and for sale on your site so why should anyone believe you this time?

For clarity, here they are again:

Original game Let Me Grow
MarketJS copy Baby Whale Rescue

Original game Pilot Heroes
MarketJS copy Pilot Training

Original Game: Mini Race Rush
MarketJS copy Monster Truck

Original Game Mini Putt
MarketJS copy Tiny World Golf

Would it be possible to remove these from your site immediately and not sold in the future?  I've had to explain to clients why there are are odd looking copies of my games around and I've lost sales to publishers who already have your clones of my games in their catalogue

Another thing - there's a couple of forum users have been very busy trying to push this thread off the front page by bumping old posts.  I also noticed that the last time they posted was at exactly the same time as the previous MarketJS thread about copying games...

Please could you ask them to give it a rest as it screws up the forum for other users!

[istvan89]

Is there any news on this?

[istvan89]

Yes I see it, that's why I'm curious if there is any news, or marketjs ignored this after their post?

[ozdy]

@rich, can you make this sticky? I think the issue is serious enough.

[nazimboudeffa]

design and "webdesign"

dev and #gamedev i don't see any problem else then the meaning of indiedev as a boring question

[ben0]

The game Tiny Golf World has been placed under temporary review. 

www.marketjs.com/item/tiny-golf-world

Thanks