NCSoft Sues Kakao Games over Alleged Copyright Infringement

NCSoft Corporation, the South Korean video game developer and publisher, filed a lawsuit against Kakao Games Corp. for alleged copyright infringement. It claimed that the latter's "ROM: Remember Of Majesty" multi-player role-playing game (MMORPG) has copied its "Lineage W" title.

Kakao Games has yet to release "ROM: Remember Of Majesty" next week, but it seems it will have issues due to NCSoft Corporation's complaint filed on Thursday, Feb. 22, at the Seoul Central District Court. Pulse News says the company is suing its rival for copyright infringement and unfair competition.

Explanation of the Complaints

Aside from Kakao Games, NCSoft also named Redlab Games Inc. another defendant in its suit. On the same day of the filing, the video game developer also filed civil lawsuits against two companies with the Taiwanese Intellectual Property and Commercial Court for alleged violations of copyright law and fair trade law.

In its complaint, NCSoft said it has confirmed that "ROM: Remember Of Majesty" MMORPG created by Kakao Games and Redlab Games has copied the content and systems of its "Lineage W" game. It said the imitation was so extensive that, based on its review, it covered the game concept, content, and user interface.

"This legal response goes beyond protecting intellectual property rights (IP) and is a necessary measure to strengthen the competitiveness of the Korean gaming industry," an official of NCSoft said in a statement. "We need to protect it from theft as we are deeply concerned about the repeated unauthorized use and plagiarism of content."

Kakao Games at a Disadvantage

Insight Korea reported that even if Kakao Games wins the lawsuit, it will still encounter issues, and its upcoming "ROM" could take a toll on the company. Moreover, even if the court favors Kakao Games, it is unclear if the game can benefit the company in the long run.

"As new games are being released one after another in the domestic game market, the previously popular MMORPG genre itself is no longer showing the same status as before," an official in the game industry commented. "Without clear differentiation, it will quickly be left out among other similar works."

Photo by: NCSoft Media Center