PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds developer calls out Epic Games over Fortnite Battle Royale...

[Shawn Knight]

Epic Games earlier this month shared details regarding a new PvP mode for Fortnite. In its announcement, Epic said it loves battle royale games like PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) and H1Z1 and thought Fortnite would make a great foundation for their own version.

Apparently, the news didn’t sit well with PUBG developer Bluehole.

Chang Han Kim, vice president and executive producer with Bluehole, said in a press release e-mailed to multiple publications on Friday that they have had an ongoing relationship with Epic Games throughout PUBG’s development as they are the creators of Unreal Engine 4, the game engine they licensed for the title.

Kim added that after listening to the growing feedback from the community and reviewing gameplay for themselves, they are concerned that Fortnite may be replicating the experience for which PUBG is known.

Bluehole also noticed that Epic Games references PUBG in the promotion of Fortnite and in communications with the press. This was never discussed with them, Kim said, and they don’t feel that it’s right.

Kim concluded by saying that the PUBG community has and continues to provide evidence of the many similarities as they contemplate further action.

Epic Games provided a simple “no comment” when pinged by Forbes.

What are your thoughts on the matter? Does Bluehole have a valid argument or a legal leg to stand on? Can the developer even be mad that someone else is making a game based on the same genre? I mean, that was inevitable, right?

Fortnite Battle Royal is coming to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Mac as a free update on September 26.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/71103-playerunknown-battlegrounds-developer-calls-out-epic-games-over.html

 

[Reehahs]

If the new game is differentiated enough then that is fine but if it is a re-skin then they are right to sue.

 

[Sarcasm]

Is anybody really that surprised given the success of PUBG that other developers will want to make the same type of game? Bluehole better have their lawyers ready for the influx of PUBG replicas, not just with Epic Games.

 

[Misagt]

I've been playing fortnite and I have played PUBG but honestly they are very very different. It would be like comparing Arma 3 and Team fortress 2. Yes they both have guns and a last man standing but that is where the similarities end. Fortnite is a game that brought it's building and trap mechanics to the game so every wall can be damaged and destroyed. Trees, cars and rocks are sources of materials. In PUBG you have all sorts of body positions like crouching and proning. PUGB has vehicles also which makes a big difference.

I thought from the moment Fortnite came out they would do some sort of PVP and with Battle royale being so popular right now I'm not surprised they did this. But as for complaining about it come on, you don't have a copy write on a type of game. PUGB didn't invite last man standing, large maps, number of players in a match or placing guns on the map. If I was Bluehole, I would be more worried about rampant cheating and buggy weapons instead of trying to sue competition.

 

[Puiu]

Is anybody really that surprised given the success of PUBG that other developers will want to make the same type of game? Bluehole better have their lawyers ready for the influx of PUBG replicas, not just with Epic Games.

PUBG didn't invent the battle royale genre and even it's game mechanics aren't original as they mostly copied others.
The irony is strong with this young padawan.

 

[Shear]

Is anybody really that surprised given the success of PUBG that other developers will want to make the same type of game? Bluehole better have their lawyers ready for the influx of PUBG replicas, not just with Epic Games.

PUBG didn't invent the battle royale genre and even it's game mechanics aren't original as they mostly copied others.
The irony is strong with this young padawan.

I think it's more to do with the fact that it's copied down to the UI elements. Just take a look they are identical.
They need to change the UI and it will be fine.

 

[Milkyjoe]

Battle royale amongst game developers, who will be the last one standing.

 

[Uncle Al]

No single player version - No Sale!

 

[seefizzle]

Much ado about nothing. Games copy other game's gameplay modes and have been doing so for 30 years. Fortnite and PUBG are two completely different kinds of games. PUBG sounds like a whiny btch about it.

 

[tomkaten]

^^This ! I remember playing Dune II all those years ago and then Blizzard putting out Warcraft... My first thought was "Man, these Blizzard guys copied Westwood down to the font they used, I feel a lawsuit coming".

 

[Cycloid Torus]

Superior game will sell more copies; superior legal redress will not.

 

[Brock Kane]

I play PUBG a lot. Have over 200 hours. Just watching the trailer to Fortnite Battle Royale. I see the similarities. But it's not the same game. I get it, but this game has a cartoonish skin to it. Kinda more childish version to me I guess.

I believe with PUBG's popularity, there will be other similar games developed. Can't go around suing by suspicion. There are a lot of Automobiles similar by different companies. Just because they all have 4 wheels, doesn't mean they're the same.

 

[Eric Mozzone]

Lets not forget that PUBG was a stolen idea from other games. Hypocrites.

 

[Sarcasm]

PUBG didn't invent the battle royale genre and even it's game mechanics aren't original as they mostly copied others.
The irony is strong with this young padawan.

You're making my point. I'm saying Bluehole doesn't have much ground on this one. Thanks?

 

[Nobina]

Lets not forget that PUBG was a stolen idea from other games. Hypocrites.

Not stolen. If an action movie comes out you're not gonna say that movie stole ideas from Terminator. It is just the same genre.

 

[stewi0001]

Blizzard has gotten away with Overwatch being a successful knock off of TF2 so I guess there is no problem here.

 

[KIPtheLIP]

Hahahah, ok now we need a lawsuit on all games for stealing team death match

 

[bolski]

Much ado about nothing. Games copy other game's gameplay modes and have been doing so for 30 years. Fortnite and PUBG are two completely different kinds of games. PUBG sounds like a whiny btch about it.

Isn't that the most sincere form of flattery? They should be happy. Plus, who has a copyright on UI layouts? I can say the PUBG and Fornite UIs are copies of older Deathmatch games. last man standing is NOT that new of a concept. It's been done in different modes over multiple games.

I say, more choices, better options for everyone. Some like PUBG, others like Fortnite. So what? More power to the gaming community I say.