NCSoft files suit against Kakao Games over alleged content theft

[Courtesy of Kakao Games Corp.]

South Korean video game maker NCSoft Corp. has filed a lawsuit against Kakao Games Corp. for alleged copyright infringement.

NCSoft claims that Kakao Games’ multiplayer online role-playing game, “ROM: Remember Of Majesty,” which will be released next week, copied its game “Lineage W.”

According to NCSoft on Thursday, the company filed a civil lawsuit for copyright infringement and unfair competition against Kakao Games and MMORPG maker Redlab Games Inc. with the Seoul Central District Court.

Comparison of copyright infringement cases that NCSoft pointed out as suspected plagiarism. Lineage W is on the left, and Rom is on the right. [Photo by NCSoft]

On the same day, NCSoft also filed civil lawsuits for violations of copyright law and fair trade law with the Taiwanese Intellectual Property and Commercial Court.

NCSoft argues that it has confirmed that “ROM” by Kakao Games and Redlab Games, has extensively imitated the content and systems of their flagship title, “Lineage W,” alleging overall content theft from game concept and major content to art user interface.