Court Rules Webzen's 'R2M' Violates Unfair Competition Law
NC and XL Games Trials Also Upcoming
Diversifying Genres Beyond 'Lineage-like'
The court delivered a first-instance ruling stating that Webzen's MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) ‘R2M’ plagiarized NCSoft's ‘Lineage M’. This is the first case recognizing that NCSoft holds copyright over ‘Lineage-like’ games, which refer to games with gameplay similar to the ‘Lineage’ series. Since ‘Lineage-like’ games have become mainstream in the domestic game market, attention is focused on whether this ruling will bring changes to the gaming industry.
NCSoft's Decisive Victory, Copyright Infringement Not Recognized
The Seoul Central District Court Civil Division 61 (Presiding Judge Kim Se-yong) ruled in favor of NCSoft on the 18th in a lawsuit filed against Webzen seeking an injunction to stop copyright infringement. Although the court did not recognize plagiarism of copyrighted works, it accepted the claim under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, granting NCSoft's request to ban the R2M service and awarding damages.
The court judged that R2M imitated the comprehensive system through the selection, arrangement, and combination of elements from Lineage M, and that such acts constituted unfair competition. However, the court ruled that copying various systems within Lineage M could not be considered copyright infringement. This is because game rules or progression methods are ‘ideas’, not ‘works’ created by the author, and ideas are not protected by copyright.
Although copyright infringement was not recognized, NCSoft's victory has stirred the gaming industry. NCSoft has filed a lawsuit claiming that ‘ArcheAge War’, developed by XLGames and serviced by Kakao Games, copied many contents and systems from ‘Lineage 2M’. There is a possibility of ongoing litigation against multiple other games.
Game revenue rankings on Google Play as of the 23rd. Most of the top positions are occupied by MMORPGs. (Photo by Mobile Index)
‘Lineage-like’ Games Guarantee More Than Break-Even
The reason ‘Lineage-like’ games have become mainstream is ‘money’.
As of 2021, the mobile game market size was 12.15 trillion KRW, accounting for 58% of the entire game market. The age group with the highest mobile game usage rate was people in their 40s, followed by those in their 30s in third place. These age groups tend to spend relatively more money on games based on stable income. In particular, they are familiar with similar types of games, having been exposed to the Lineage series since childhood.
As a result, game companies had no choice but to focus on ‘Lineage-like’ games. Just releasing them guaranteed more than break-even results. Currently, among the top 10 domestic mobile game revenue rankings, there are always more than five MMORPGs. All of these are ‘Lineage-like’ games.
There are also voices of objection against the criticism that Lineage copycat games dominate. The criteria for ‘Lineage-like’ are ambiguous, and funding is needed to develop unique games.
Games classified as ‘Lineage-like’ are mainly set in medieval times and categorize characters into classes such as knights and wizards. They also have a BM (billing model) where the character's strength varies depending on how much money is invested in the game. Medieval fantasy is a common setting, even existing as a novel genre.
The BM is also a system commonly seen in many games. Game companies argue that it is unfair to label and condemn their games as ‘Lineage-like’ just because they adopted systems that existed in many games before the appearance of Lineage.
Game Companies Diversify Genres and Platforms
Nevertheless, winds of change are blowing in the domestic game market. Games classified as ‘Lineage-like’ can face plagiarism disputes at any time. The very emergence of plagiarism disputes is a burden for game companies.
Another issue is that the 30s and 40s age group, familiar with ‘Lineage-like’ games, is aging and being pushed to the margins of the game market, while teenagers and people in their 20s, who prefer new game genres, are emerging as the mainstream. Experts diagnose that if development continues to focus only on MMORPGs as it is now, the game market’s growth will inevitably stagnate.
NCSoft, at the center of the litigation, has begun to change. NCSoft, which has focused on the Lineage series, will release a new PC and console title, ‘THRONE AND LIBERTY (TL)’, domestically this December. This is their first challenge on the console platform. Neowiz plans to launch ‘P-ui Geojit’ on September 19. It is a console platform game in the ‘Souls-like’ genre, which has many enthusiast users.
Nexon is preparing ‘First Descendant’, a PC and console-based loot shooter game, aiming for release within the year. Kakao Games is also preparing various games in different genres beyond MMORPGs.
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