PUBG: Battlegrounds developer Krafton is suing Google, Apple, YouTube, and mobile games developer Garena over two mobile titles that the developer claims is infringing on its copyright of its now free-to-play battle royale shooter. While Garena is the sole developer on both Free Fire and Free Fire Max, the two titles that are allegedly infringing on Krafton's copyright, Krafton claims that Google and Apple are complicit in "blatantly infringing" the studios intellectual property for distributing both titles.
First reported by The Verge, the lawsuit points out that while both Free Fire and Free Fire Max are free-to-play games similar to PUBG and its mobile version, the games are stuffed with microtransactions which Krafton alleges has made Garena "hundreds of millions of dollars." Because of the cut that both Apple and Google take out of all in-app purchases, Krafton claims that both companies have "similarly earned a substantial amount of revenue from their distribution."
When comparing Free Fire and Free Fire Max to PUBG, it's very easy to see why Krafton believes that the games are infringing on its copyright. From the aesthetics of the art styles to the way that players drop into the map to the use of PUBG's iconic frying pans as melee weapons and additional armor, Krafton claims that both titles "extensively copy numerous aspects of Battlegrounds, both individually and in combination."
Before filling the suit, Krafton claims that it previously reached out to Garena in December 2021 requesting that the studio "immediately stop its exploitation" to which Garena refused. Krafton also claims to have contacted Apple and Google about the copyright infringements, but both companies also ignored its requests.
Krafton has included YouTube in the lawsuit as well citing that it refused to remove videos featuring Free Fire and Free Fire Max gameplay resulting in further promotion of the titles. Despite YouTube's frequent takedowns of copyrighted content, all videos remain on the site where they are likely to stay given the company's reluctance to remove them until the suit is settled.
While PUBG can't copyright things such as the battle royale genre as a whole despite being the first game to modernize the idea and kickstart the gaming trend, specific elements of the game copied by Garena are where Krafton's case take issue with Free Fire and Free Fire Max. It's still to be seen what the results of the suit will be, but it will be interesting to see what happens.
PUBG: Battlegrounds is available for PC, PS4, Stadia, and Xbox One.
Source: The Verge, Krafton Lawsuit