Major Legal Conflicts in the Gaming Industry (July — December 2024)
The legal firm Semenov&Pevzner has prepared a global report on legal conflicts in the gaming industry over the past six months.
The overview was prepared by Irina Guschina, senior lawyer at Semenov&Pevzner, Julia Lazareva, lawyer at Semenov&Pevzner, and Daria Pertseva, junior lawyer at Semenov&Pevzner.
Irina Guschina, Julia Lazareva, and Daria Pertseva
The report is divided into eight sections:
- copyright;
- trademarks;
- patent rights;
- personal data;
- gambling;
- artificial intelligence;
- anti-competitive violations;
- other issues.
The previous review (January – June 2024) can be found here.
Copyright
Charlie the Unicorn is a web cartoon series about a unicorn named Charlie, which went viral in the early 2000s.
In December 2024, an audio track from the cartoons was used in a MultiVersus advertisement, and then Jason Steele, the creator of Charlie the Unicorn, accused Warner Bros. of copyright infringement.
The social media clip showed Reyndog as a unicorn, captioned: “We’re going to Candy Kingdom to get a new version of unicorn, Charlie!”. The clip also featured video with three unicorn dogs—just like the three unicorns in Steele's video.
However, the matter did not go to court. MultiVersus got off lightly by deleting the tweet.
2. Nintendo Sues Switch Pirates for "Significant and Irreparable Harm"
Nintendo of America filed lawsuits against Ryan Daly from Modded Hardware (a site selling modified consoles, pirated games, and mod chips) and James Williams, the lead moderator of the SwitchPirates community on Reddit, accusing them of copyright infringement by selling "circumvention devices."
The complaint states that the defendants' sale and distribution of "censorship circumvention devices, hacked consoles, and censorship avoidance services" caused "significant and irreparable harm" to Nintendo.
Interestingly, Nintendo issued a cease-and-desist order to the defendants back in March 2024, stating that they had "publicly bragged about being pirates and planning to pay Nintendo $50 per game."
3. Nintendo Sues Streamer for Broadcasting Ten Games Before Release
The company accused streamer Jesse Keighin of streaming pirated versions of games before their official launch. According to the presented documents, Keighin held more than 50 pirated streams over the last two years. Stolen were, in particular, Mario & Luigi: Brothership and The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Nintendo stated that to combat unauthorized distribution of gaming content, they had sent dozens of DMCA takedown notices demanding blocking Keighin's streams. Due to numerous strikes, YouTube and Twitch platforms shut down the violator's channels, but Nintendo claims that the gamer continued to thumb his nose at the company and DCMA laws.
Nintendo is seeking $152,500 in compensation for the alleged violations.
4. Composer Sues Sega for Copyright Infringement Over Sonic Adventure 2’s "Live & Learn" Theme Song
Johnny Gioeli, known for his participation in Crush 40, is suing Sega for illegal use of the track Live & Learn.
The track was written in 2001 for the game Sonic Adventure 2. According to the contract terms, the copyrights belong to both parties. However, in 2021, the musical composition appeared in Capcom's game, Monster Hunter Rise, violating the agreements.
Interestingly, other companies directly contact Gioeli for the use of the famous soundtrack. For instance, Paramount officially purchased the rights to the music for the "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" movie from the musician, not from Sega.
Now, the plaintiff is demanding to be paid $500,000 in unpaid royalties and other payments.
5. Writer Sues Bungie for Stealing His Stories for Destiny 2's Plot
Matthew Kelsey Martineau, also known under the pseudonym Caspar Cole, has filed a lawsuit against Bungie, accusing the studio of copyright infringement.
He claims the plot of Destiny 2 was directly copied from his works, published online in 2013-2014.
Both feature a belligerent faction called the Red Legion. The formation story and motives of the leaders of both Legions are "almost identical"—both were outcasts of society, supported by mentor outcasts, and during the main events, both sought to capture a significant object in Earth orbit.
Additionally, according to the writer, the main antagonist of his story and the villain of Destiny 2 have similar goals and backgrounds. The complaint alleges Bungie's actions resulted in "substantial, immediate, and irreparable harm for which there is no adequate legal remedy."
"The Red Legion is the foundation of the entire storyline that unfolds in Destiny 2," the lawsuit states. "While Destiny 2 offers a captivating gaming plot that keeps players engaged, the game is directly based on the plaintiff's original work."
Thus, Martineau demands that Bungie cease distributing materials "substantially similar to Destiny 2" and provide accounts of all product or service sales that infringe his rights.
Additionally, the plaintiff seeks damages for copyright infringement and demands a jury trial.
6. The Pokémon Company Wins $15 Million Lawsuit Against Chinese Pokémon Copycat
Back in December 2021, The Pokémon Company filed a lawsuit against six Chinese companies involved in the development and publishing of the game Pocket Monster Reissue (also known as Koudaiyaoguai Fuke).
According to the South China Morning Post, the pirated game was making more than $42 million annually.
The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court ruled that Pocket Monster Reissue illegally used characters Ash Ketchum and Pikachu and ordered the defendants to pay more than $15 million in compensation to the plaintiff.
7. Koei Tecmo Settles Copyright Dispute with Youzu Out of Court
In the previous overview, we already detailed the development of the conflict between Koei Tecmo and Youzu.
Let us remind you that on April 8, 2024, Koei Tecmo Games, the developer of Dynasty Warriors and Attack on Titan 2, announced that it had filed a lawsuit against the Singapore branch of Chinese game developer Youzu for egregious copyright infringement.
The complaint alleges that Youzu repeatedly used music, images, game assets, and other elements from the Nobunaga’s Ambition and Taiko Risshiden series by Koei Tecmo in the advertisements for their mobile games.
Moreover, the defendant also used the name Koei Tecmo Games, creating a false impression of the Japanese developer's involvement in creating the product.
Fortunately, the parties could reach a compromise. The defendant acknowledged the violation and made a public apology.
"Through the settlement, we reached an agreement and defined measures aimed at preventing further violations in the future. We believe that the terms of the agreement align with our company's policy on the protection of intellectual property rights," sources from Koei Tecmo Games wrote.
8. Nintendo Accused of Improper Credit Attribution to External Developers
The plaintiff translators claim that Nintendo did not credit their work on games like Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
According to them, Nintendo has a policy of not listing the names of translators from external agencies in the game credits, and the external translators themselves were required to sign non-disclosure agreements that prohibited them from discussing their work on the company's projects.
"In games like Animal Crossing or Breath of the Wild, you might not notice that the credits omit 15-20 translators because there are other names of in-house translators."
9. EU Court Allows Modifications for PlayStation
In October 2024, Sony filed a lawsuit against Datel (a software development company), accusing it of copyright infringement. Datel developed a device that not only improved the functionality of the PlayStation console but also allowed cheats in MotorStorm.
The EU Court ruled in favor of Datel, stating that the intervention of cheats occurs not in the game's source code but in the console's memory itself. And since the change does not affect the original source code, it does not violate European copyright law.
Such an outcome was a heavy blow for Sony, whose billion-dollar corporation was rendered powerless before the court's decision, and the discussion around the legality of cheats received a new lease of life.
10. Genshin Impact Creators Win Victory Over Cheaters
Earlier, we told you that a group of hackers created, sold, and distributed cheat tools for Genshin Impact, offering players in-game advantages (attack modifications, unlimited stamina, teleportation, and invincibility).
In its lawsuit, HoYoverse accused the creators of cheat tools of copyright infringement, pointing to significant reputational and financial damage.
And now—victory! A Canadian court prohibited the violators from distributing their programs and ordered them to pay the rights holder $1.5 million CAD or $1.05 million USD in compensation.
Trademarks
1. Movie Company Stellarblade Sues Sony and Developers of Stellar Blade
The Louisiana film company Stellarblade has sued the creators of the post-apocalyptic action game Stellar Blade from South Korean studio Shift Up and the game's publisher, Sony Interactive Entertainment, over the action game's name.
Stellarblade owner Griffith Chambers Mehaffey claims that the domain stellarblade.com has been his since 2006, and the company itself has existed since 2010.
According to the plaintiff, considering the "many years of public use" of Stellarblade, it is hard to imagine a situation where Shift Up and Sony could not have known about Mehaffey's trademark when registering their designation.
"We believe in fair competition, but when large companies disregard the established rights of small businesses, it is our duty to protect our brand. By using extensive resources, the defendants have monopolized the online search results for Stellarblade, condemning Mr. Mehaffey's multiyear business to digital oblivion and threatening his livelihood," the plaintiff's representative states.
Thus, Stellarblade demands that Shift Up and Sony stop using the name Stellar Blade and destroy all materials infringing on the trademark. Mehaffey also aims to receive monetary compensation for the damage caused to his company.
2. Roblox Settles Lawsuit Against Toymaker
In 2022, Roblox filed a lawsuit against WowWee, a toy manufacturer, claiming that the company released a line of dolls based on player avatars from the role-playing game My Avatars: RP without the appropriate permissions, thereby infringing Roblox's copyrights and trademarks.
WowWee denied the allegations, asserting that Roblox didn't own copyrights and trademarks, meaning the toys wouldn't confuse consumers.
In November 2024, the companies announced they had settled the legal dispute with a confidential agreement.
3. Trademark Dispute Over "Gemini" Name Between Google and Gemini Data
In September 2024, Gemini Data, a small AI development company from San Francisco, filed a lawsuit against Google, accusing it of trademark infringement and unfair competition concerning the Gemini name.
The lawsuit claims that Google's use of the Gemini name for its AI brand has infringed on the trademark rights of Gemini Data, potentially confusing consumers.
Notably, in 2023 Google launched its generative AI platform Bard and decided to rebrand it as Gemini in February 2024.
It is important to note that Gemini Data holds the trademark for Gemini, including in regards to software development.
The lawsuit also notes that Google was previously denied a trademark registration for the name due to the likelihood of confusion with Gemini Data's trademarks.
3. Patent Rights
1. Nintendo Filed a Lawsuit Against Palworld for Violating Three Patents
In 2024, the company Pocketpair released the game Palworld, which quickly gained popularity, with over 12 million copies sold in the first month after release.
The game's characters and some mechanics strongly resemble those from the Pokémon games, rights owned by Nintendo. Naturally, Nintendo did not ignore Palworld and in September 2024 filed a patent infringement lawsuit.
The complaint is based on three patents on game mechanics for capturing digital creatures and the ability to ride them. Interestingly, all three patents were registered only after Palworld was released. But they all relate to a "parent" patent filed by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company back in December 2021, allowing them to be freely used to substantiate the lawsuit.
Pocketpair plans to actively defend its position in this dispute.
2. Sega Filed a Lawsuit Against Memento Mori Developer for Unauthorized Use of Patents
A month after Nintendo's lawsuit against Palworld, Sega Corporation filed a very similar lawsuit. The essence of the claim is that Japanese developer Bank of Innovation in its games Memento Mori and Genjuu Keiyaku Cryptract infringes five patents owned by Sega.
All five patents are registered in Japan. Given that the patents describe very popular gacha mechanics, the case is drawing a lot of attention. If Sega proves violation, many other gacha game developers could be in the crosshairs.
Previously, both companies engaged in pre-trial negotiations but did not reach an agreement, and Sega turned to the court, seeking to cease the infringement and claiming ¥1 billion (approximately $6.6 million USD).
Bank of Innovation stated it does not believe its games infringe on Sega's rights.
3. IBM Won a $44.9 Million Lawsuit Against Zynga for Patent Infringement
Back in 2022, IBM filed a lawsuit against Zynga. The complaint concerned Zynga violating patents in its games that IBM developed for its internet service Prodigy in the late 1980s. Simultaneously, IBM filed similar lawsuits against other companies, including Chewy, Rakuten, and Groupon.
In September 2024, the court determined that games by Zynga, including Farmville, infringe two IBM patents. The damage was assessed at $44.9 million USD.
In October, Zynga sought a court review of the decision, and in December, the parties signed a settlement agreement, ending the dispute.
4. IBM Withdraws Its Lawsuit Against Take-Two Interactive
Following lawsuits against Zynga, Chewy, Rakuten, and Groupon, IBM filed a lawsuit against game developer Take-Two in September 2024. The subject of the lawsuit was the same patents related to web advertising, virtual worlds, and user authentication. The infringement was linked to the operation of the Take-Two game launcher and the games NBA 2K, Grand Theft Auto, and Red Dead Redemption.
The companies reached an out-of-court settlement, and by year-end jointly notified the court of the lawsuit's withdrawal.
Personal Data
1. Ubisoft Accused of Player Privacy Violations
Two players from the U.S. filed a lawsuit against Ubisoft alleging violations of personal data laws.
The Ubisoft site allows logging in via social media accounts. However, when logging in with a Facebook* account, user personal data is collected by Meta Platforms** through its tracking tool, Pixel, and transferred to Meta**. According to the lawsuit, this exposes personal data to "anyone with ordinary technical skills."
The plaintiffs note that Pixel cannot be placed on a third-party website without the site owner's cooperation, in this case, Ubisoft. But Ubisoft does not obtain user consent for processing their personal data through Pixel.
The plaintiffs demand compensation for all affected users, removal of Pixel from the Ubisoft website, or obtaining direct user consent for Pixel's use. Additionally, they require Ubisoft to take further measures to anonymize user data.
* Recognized as an extremist organization in Russia.
** Activity of the organization is prohibited in Russia.
2. Class Action Filed Against CD Projekt for Possible Data Sharing Without Consent
A group of plaintiffs from the U.S. filed a class-action lawsuit against the video game digital distribution platform GOG.com, owned by CD Projekt.
The violation concerns the U.S. Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA). Initially aimed at video rental and sale services, it was extended to online video, audio, and gaming platforms, prohibiting companies from sharing customer actions and preferences information without their consent.
3. The First 600,000 Payouts from Epic Games for a $520 Million Violation
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission began compensating consumers affected by Epic Games' actions. In December 2022, it was found that Epic Games unlawfully processed children's personal data in its games (compensation for this was $275 million USD) and used in-game design features that encouraged players to make unintentional purchases (compensation for this was $245 million USD).
The number of consumers eligible for refunds exceeds 37 million people. So far, only the first part of the payments, consisting of 629,344 transactions, has been sent. The average payment is estimated to be around $114 USD.
Gambling
1. EA's Golf Clash Ad Misleads Users on Loot Box Disclosure
The UK Advertising Standards Authority came to this conclusion because the developer's advertising materials included a statement "Includes in-game purchases (including random items)" in light gray font that disappeared after a few seconds. The authority decided that the presence of loot boxes was not obvious enough for users.
As a result, the developer was required to remove the advertisement.
Interestingly, EA has stepped on the same rake not for the first time; previously EA was also instructed to remove ads lacking a loot box disclaimer (concerning the same game, Golf Clash). Back then, the developer claimed the violation resulted from human error (which apparently wasn't true due to the repeat offense).
2. Austrian Court Rules FIFA Ultimate Team Packs Are Not Gambling
Not everything seems so grim for Electronic Arts. The company won a key court case in Austria regarding whether loot boxes should be classified as gambling.
The Higher Regional Court of Vienna ruled that loot boxes in FIFA 23 do not qualify as gambling because players did not purchase FIFA Ultimate Team with the intention of obtaining profits, but solely for in-game use.
The court also clarified that these packs should be viewed as part of FIFA, a game based on skill rather than chance, distinguishing it from gambling.
This decision is significant for EA, as previously a lower court in the country ruled otherwise—considering the player card packs a form of gambling.
3. 90% of Mobile Games with Loot Boxes Violate UK Advertising Laws
According to BBC calculations, in the UK only some games with loot boxes on Google Play are promoted with mentions of loot box mechanics. The rest violate advertising law requirements. Interestingly, the game MONOPOLY GO! (by Scopely) omits any indication of loot box mechanics.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) claims to actively monitor violators. It can ban ads lacking a loot box label. Previously ASA instructed Electronic Arts to remove social media posts advertising Golf Clash. Ads for games 8 Ball Pool and RuneScape were banned from airing.
4. Paid Loot Boxes Receive "M" Rating in Australia
New classification rules came into effect on September 22, 2024. Now, games with in-game purchases with random elements must have a minimum M classification, which means the game is not recommended for children under 15.
The M classification is advisory, meaning sales and distribution of such games to children under 15 are not prohibited. Also, the new classification will only affect new games. Games rated before the law's implementation will not be re-evaluated.
Artificial Intelligence
1. Content Creator Sues NVIDIA
NVIDIA launched Project Cosmos to support various applications, including the 3D-world generator Omniverse and technology for autonomous vehicles.
Video data, including various clips from YouTube and Netflix, protected by copyright, were used to train AI models in the project. In August 2024, a content creator from YouTube filed a lawsuit against NVIDIA seeking $5 million USD in compensation.
NVIDIA stated that it respects copyrights but believes the laws encourage drawing ideas from public sources and creating new, transformative works.
In late October 2024, Dow Jones&Co. (Wall Street Journal publisher) and New York Post filed a federal lawsuit against Perplexity, an AI development company. They claim that Perplexity illegally copies publishers' works, protected by copyright, leading to loss of customers and revenue.
The media companies accuse Perplexity of deliberately copying a large amount of copyright-protected content without any compensation and presenting the reworked material as a direct replacement for the original source.
Perplexity asserts that the facts mentioned in the lawsuit are misleading. Examples of reprinted results misrepresent the source material. The company also stated that its system is not designed to reproduce the full text of articles, which can be accessed directly elsewhere.
Notably, according to Perplexity, media companies have filed about thirty lawsuits against generative AI tool developers. The New York Times sent Perplexity a notice of copyright violation and a cease-and-desist demand from using their content.
Nevertheless, Perplexity has entered into revenue-sharing programs with some publishers, like Time, Fortune, and Der Spiegel.
3. Programmers vs. AI Developers
In 2022, programmers filed a lawsuit against OpenAl, GitHub, and Microsoft, claiming the companies used human-created code to train a new AI model.
The programmers demanded $1 billion USD in compensation, asserting that GitHub Copilot reproduced their code, thereby violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
The court dismissed their lawsuit. The programmers didn't give up and changed their position, asserting that the GutHub Capilot's duplicate scanning feature, which detects and prevents human-created code copying, can be turned off, allowing users access to copyrighted content, which they allege violates their rights.
Finally, in July 2024, the court concluded that AI-generated code was not substantially similar to human-created code, meaning there was no copyright infringement and ruled in favor of OpenAl, GitHub Copilot, and Microsoft.
4. German Court Issues First Ruling on AI and Copyright
In September, a Hamburg court heard a case where a photographer sued a nonprofit organization for using his photos to train AI.
The court ruled in favor of the organization, concluding that using photos for AI training is legal due to Germany's law exceptions allowing photos for scientific research. The court deemed using AI consistent with a scientific purpose. However, if a website with photos posts a warning prohibiting their use for AI training, such a warning would carry legal weight.
5. Alcon Entertainment Sues Tesla and Elon Musk Over "Blade Runner 2049" Rights
Alcon Entertainment (producer of the film "Blade Runner 2049") filed a lawsuit against Tesla, its CEO Elon Musk, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Alcon claims that during a Tesla Robotaxi presentation, Musk used AI-generated images similar to scenes from "Blade Runner 2049." He also compared the Tesla electric car to the iconic flying car from the franchise.
Notably, Musk attempted to obtain permission to use the images before the presentation. After being denied, he used images created with AI. Alcon Entertainment explained their refusal with Musk's public statements that could damage the franchise's reputation.
Anti-Competitive Violations
1. Steam Accused of Exploiting Developers and Publishers
In 2021, two studios, Wolfire Studios and Dark Catt Studios, independently filed lawsuits against Valve. The studios claim Steam's commission is too high at 30% for developers and that Valve exploits its dominant position to "exploit publishers and consumers."
In July 2022, both lawsuits were consolidated into one. By fall 2024, the lawsuit achieved class-action status, meaning it applies to any developers, publishers, or parties who have paid Valve a 30% commission in connection with game sales on Steam after January 28, 2017.
We'll be watching how the court addresses the balance between developers' rights and Valve's earnings from their contributions to the Steam platform.
2. Google vs. South Korean Game Companies: Was There a Bribe?
In October 2024, the Korea Mobile Game Association initiated a class-action lawsuit against Google and Apple and urged South Korean gaming companies to join. The lawsuit was related to monopoly in the mobile store market. A few months later, some companies claimed Google was persuading developers to withdraw from the lawsuit.
According to the Korea Game Users Association, Korea Game Consumers Association, and Citizens' Coalition for Economic Justice, Google offers game companies specific privileges, such as more advertising on Google Play. There's no information on agreeing to such a deal; 45 gaming companies have joined the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs argue that Apple and Google inflate fees for developers. Prilimariy estimates suggest damage to mobile developers amounting to over $6.3 billion USD due to commissions from 2020 to 2023.
In 2021, at the demand of South Korean authorities, the platform allowed developers to use third-party payment systems and reduced the commission from 30% to 26%. However, information later emerged that Google was pressuring developers to use their payment system.
3. Microsoft Settles Gamer Lawsuit Over Activision Blizzard Acquisition
The deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard to purchase Activision Blizzard for $69 billion, finalized in October 2023 (20 months after the announcement), sparked a wave of criticism. The Federal Trade Commission and other international regulatory bodies tried to challenge this deal.
Gamers also voiced their concerns. At the end of 2022, they filed an initial lawsuit, claiming that the deal would lead to a monopoly, allowing Microsoft to inflate prices and reduce game choices. The lawsuit was dismissed due to insufficient evidence. In April 2023, gamers presented an updated lawsuit with internal documents from Sony.
In October 2024, the parties managed to reach a settlement, with the terms remaining undisclosed. It is known that the case was closed with the provision that it cannot be reopened in the future.
In October 2024, a court issued a final ruling in the Epic Games v. Google case, recognizing Google as a monopolist in the Android app market.
Effective November 1, 2024, the ruling mandates Google to:
- allow competing app stores to distribute apps in Google Play and provide links to download apps from outside Google Play;
- cease requiring developers to use Google's payment system and permit developers to inform about alternative payment methods;
- stop offering money or incentives to app developers for exclusive releases in Google Play, or to Android device manufacturers for preinstalling Google Play;
- cease sharing app revenue with distributors.
The court ruling will be in effect for three years—until November 1, 2027. Google has filed an appeal.
5. Preliminary UK Investigation into Apple and Google's Mobile Market Dominance Conducted
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority published its preliminary findings regarding Apple and Google's mobile ecosystems. The study found that both companies have an "effective duopoly over mobile ecosystems, including operating systems, app stores, and web browsers."
This duopoly restricts other market participants from providing consumers with new, innovative features. It was also preliminarily identified that Google and Apple have a revenue-sharing agreement, reducing their competitive incentives.
Based on its findings, a working group recommended conducting a full investigation into Apple and Google. Apple responded by stating that any such intervention would undermine user privacy.
It’s not only Google and Apple facing competition restriction accusations.
The Communications Workers of America (CWA) criticized Sony for closing Firewalk Studios and Neon Koi, accusing the company of attempting to strengthen its monopoly position in the market.
"Sony decided to simply liquidate studios operating outside the 'walled garden of PlayStation content' instead of developing games for a diverse and competitive mobile gaming market," the CWA statement reads.
The union plans to discuss Sony's unfair competition and its consequences with antitrust authorities and legislators.
Other
1. Creator of Farm Bank Game Faces 88,000 Years in Prison
Turkish prosecutors are seeking to sentence Mehmet Aydın, who allegedly defrauded thousands of gamers out of millions of dollars with the online farm game, Farm Bank.
Aydın and his business partners devised the game, known as Çiftlik Bank (Farm Bank), inspired by the popular social game FarmVille in 2016. App users could buy virtual animals and farming equipment with real money. Aydın promised users that their money would be invested in real livestock farms across the country. Products were also offered for sale in some stores and "show farms" to attract investors. However, it turned out to cover up a criminal financial pyramid.
An investigation was launched in March 2018, after which Aydın fled to Uruguay in 2018 with more than 1.1 billion Turkish liras (approximately $280 million USD at the exchange rate at that time) collected from about 132,000 clients.
In 2019, Interpol issued a "red notice" for Aydın, wanted by Turkish authorities on charges of embezzlement, money laundering, and tax law violations.
Aydın was arrested by the Istanbul court on July 7, 2021, four days after surrendering to the Turkish Consulate General in Brazil.
2. Roblox Appeals Court Decision Allowing Platform Ban in Turkey
In early August 2024, Turkish authorities banned Roblox to protect children due to the presence of "objectionable content, including sexual content," on the platform.
Now, Roblox Corp. is appealing the Turkish court's decision.
"Roblox respects the local laws and regulations of Turkey, and we are cooperating with local authorities to restore our community's access to the platform and prioritize the safety of the Roblox community," the company stated.
To lift the restrictions, Roblox must prove it has removed all "hazardous" content for children.
3. New California Case on Minecraft Addiction Emerges
This lawsuit adds to the growing number of claims against major gaming companies for prioritizing profit over child safety.
In California, a family is suing Roblox, Microsoft, and others, alleging that they intentionally use addictive tactics in the game Minecraft.
The plaintiffs claim that Minecraft's developers collaborated with behavioral experts to create in-game features encouraging players to keep playing without breaks. The lawsuit describes this as part of a broader Microsoft and Roblox strategy to increase profits at the expense of minors' well-being.
The family also claims that the companies violated privacy laws by collecting personal information from minors without obtaining proper parental consent.
4. Ubisoft Unions in Barcelona Initiate Lawsuit Against Company Over Remote Work Policy Changes
Previously, Ubisoft decided on mandatory office work, leading to a large-scale strike in France involving over 700 people.
In Spain, however, unions decided to take legal action. Collaborating with Spain's largest union, CGT (Confederación General del Trabajo), they argue for Ubisoft to reverse its office return order and protect remote work through a formal collective bargaining agreement.
The unions claim Ubisoft's changes were "sudden and opaque," raising concerns about logistical issues, as office spaces may not be adequately equipped to handle the influx of remote employees returning simultaneously.
5. Ubisoft Sued Over The Crew Shutdown
In the previous overview, we mentioned that Ubisoft began revoking The Crew licenses from gamers in Russia, Europe, and the USA after server shutdowns.
This led to a class-action lawsuit. The company is accused of selling activation keys instead of the full version of the game, essentially depriving players of ownership.
"Imagine purchasing a pinball machine, only to discover years later that the manufacturer came to your home and took the levers, ball, and high score screen, leaving you with nothing," the attorneys analogized.
Players believe that Ubisoft violated California consumer protection laws, requiring gaming platforms to clearly state that a purchase grants only usage rights, not ownership. They also added that none of them would have purchased the game for the same price had they been aware of these nuances.
6. Former Bungie and Sony Employee Accuses Companies of Destroying "Career and Reputation"
Chris Barrett, former director of the revived Marathon project, was terminated following an internal investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior towards female colleagues. Barrett's defense representatives assert that these allegations were unfounded.
Additionally, the lawsuit claims misleading statements were provided to the media to distract attention from Sony's $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie and video game production delays, placing blame on Barrett for his role in the Marathon project.
Ultimately, Barrett faced harassment, lost personal and professional connections, and experienced strained family relations. The lawsuit alleges the accusations shattered his hopes of creating his own video game development company, a dream attainable for the renowned designer of several iconic games.
7. Cloud Imperium Games Ordered to Compensate Former Employee in Disability Discrimination Case
Senior Programmer Paul Ah-Thio requested to continue remote work on a permanent basis due to a disability after the removal of pandemic restrictions in 2022. His requests were denied, and he was later dismissed due to "performance issues related to his remote work setup."
The UK Employment Tribunal determined that "Cloud Imperium's concerns over the claimant's work results seem retrospective, as while he was employed, [Cloud Imperium] never formally investigated these concerns," and that "there was no evidence presented explaining why they could not effectively manage remote work."
The tribunal ordered Cloud Imperium Games to pay the claimant £27,748 in compensation for wrongful dismissal.
"There is no evidence that working from home would prevent the respondent from achieving the legitimate goal of ensuring an acceptable performance level for a senior gameplay programmer," the ruling stated.