[Asia Economy Reporter Kang Nahum] Krafton has filed a lawsuit against Singaporean game company Garena and platform companies Google and Apple for copyright infringement of its flagship intellectual property (IP), "Battlegrounds."
According to the gaming industry on the 14th, Krafton's U.S. subsidiary filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Garena on the 10th (local time) at the Central District Court of California.
This was based on the judgment that Garena's "Free Fire" copied several elements of "Battlegrounds." It is reported that the airdrop, game structure, and weapons appearing in Free Fire are similar to those in Battlegrounds.
Garena released this game in Singapore in 2017, shortly after Krafton launched Battlegrounds. The original title was reportedly "Free Fire: Battlegrounds." Garena also released a sequel, "Free Fire Max," in September last year. Krafton explained that it has never entered into any licensing or other agreements with Garena.
Krafton also filed lawsuits against Google and Apple, who distributed the game through their app markets. It is reported that Krafton requested Google and Apple to stop distributing Garena's game in December last year, but was rejected.
A Krafton representative stated, "It is difficult to disclose detailed information regarding the lawsuit," but added, "Intellectual property infringement is a serious issue that hinders productive development in the industry, and Krafton supports the rights of game companies to protect creativity and originality in the game ecosystem."
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