The player community of the popular game, League of Legends, has aired their grievances against a mobile gacha game. The reason behind the indignation stems from the latter employing near-identical ability icons for their characters.
League of Legends champions form the crux of the game. Presently, there are over 160 different playable characters, each displaying unique personality, playstyle, and enticing lore. Ranging from the frost-ridden Frejlord archer Ashe to the somber Ionian assassin Zed, the game offers a myriad of character choices catering to the diverse player base.
The richness and individuality of these champions are further accented through their unique abilities. Every champion possesses four abilities and an inherent passive, each represented visually to epitomize their role and functionality. The visual effects of these abilities offer a strategic edge, allowing players to plan their game better.
The player community of League of Legends have spent considerable time understanding these abilities and recognizing their visuals. Therefore, when such elements are co-opted and presented in a similar fashion in a different game, the outrage understandably fields from familiarity and sentiment.
The Mobile Gacha Game Borrowing League Icons
There has been widespread criticism aimed at a mobile gacha game for featuring ability icons and character designs identical to those in League of Legends. The game, War Spell: Tactics RPG, has garnered attention for featuring identical icons for several champions, including the likes of characters Xayah, Tristana, Graves, and Tahm Kench.
Voices from the social media platform, Twitter, have echoed the sentiments of imminent legal action against the developers of War Spell. The offenders in question are viewed as overstepping their creative boundaries by copying elements from an established game to engage a wider audience.
There were comments emphasizing the gravity of the alleged violations. One statement shared on a social media platform stated, "This is so lawsuit worthy they really tried to world of Warcraftify League of Legends."
In agreement with this shared sentiment, another user stated, "I can smell the lawsuit."
Additional Similarities with Other Games
Apart from the duplication of ability icons, numerous characters in War Spell: Tactics RPG share striking resemblances with League of Legends characters. Some characters employ similar weapons or methods of inflicting damage, such as shurikens akin to Zed or a lantern similar to Thresh.
Additionally, players have suggested a possible borrowing of artwork from another game, Heroes of the Storm. If true, this not only implicates War Spell's developers in copying elements from League of Legends but pitches them against another game developer, possibly inviting another lawsuit.
The Perspective of League of Legends Developers
It remains unclear whether Riot, the developers of League of Legends, will pursue legal action against the developers of War Spell: Tactics RPG. However, the growing discontentment among the player community and the associated social media stir might force the developers to take cognizance of the issue sooner rather than later.
The instances of game developers borrowing elements, whether in gameplay or visual representation, from popular games are not uncommon. This can be seen as a strategic move to leverage the popularity of well-established games to create a familiar environment for the new players. However, this practice can also result in copyright lawsuits, as evident from the recent War Spell controversy.
League of Legends, with its wide array of characters and unique abilities, offers a comprehensive gaming experience that appeals to a diverse player base. Preserving the authenticity of such game elements is important to maintain the strategic edge and the unique player experience in the game.