5 ms·

Zynga is the Samwer Brothers of games. Blatant copying, element-for-element. No derivation from the original, no ethics, no shame. Zynga is a despicable compan

Zynga is the Samwer Brothers of games. Blatant copying, element-for-element. No derivation from the original, no ethics, no shame. Zynga is a despicable company, and I have absolutely no respect for the company itself or Pincus.

majani 14y ago
Not really. The Samwer brothers may not be innovators, but they are problem solvers. They solve the very huge problem of internationalisation. Zynga doesn't solve anyone's problems. They just aim to kill/leech off competitors.
- dakrisht 14y ago
  I agree with your statement. Samwer bros aren't innovators by any means but they do solve internationalisation problems - no question. Good for them and I wish them success
- loceng 14y ago
  So if I launch at the same time internationally, then they won't copy me - you seem to be suggesting?
  - qq66 14y ago
    Yes, if you do a good international launch, they usually won't, since there are lower-hanging fruit to pick.
wwweston 14y ago
I don't like Zynga either. My understanding is that games can't be copyrighted, though: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html
- msbarnett 14y ago
  Basic mechanics, no. Text and look and feel are another story, though. In this case EA is alleging that The Ville is a derivative work not because it borrows mechanics but because it meets the 'substantially similar' test by meticulously cloning the look of The Sims Social, right down to copying the exact RGB colors of specific elements.
  - A1kmm 14y ago
    Although it seems most of their argument (http://www.scribd.com/doc/101954002/EA-v-Zynga-Complaint-Final http://www.scribd.com/doc/101954002/EA-v-Zynga-Complaint-Fin...) except for the RGB values relate to game mechanics. As someone who doesn't play Facebook games, looking at the images, they certainly look like two different ways of expressing the same game. Some icons are similar - e.g. the 'heart break' icons, but they don't seem to be that novel for what they are depicting.
- gamble 14y ago
  Yeah, my understanding is that the case law was pretty well established with board games. You can steal pretty much the entire mechanics of a game, but not the specific artistic expression. Of course, that doesn't mean a company with deep pockets can't bludgeon anyone they like with the legal system. A good example in board games is a game called "Anti-Monopoly". (http://antimonopoly.com http://antimonopoly.com) It's pretty much a direct take-off on Parker Bros. Monopoly. Parker Bros. sued the creator and dragged the case through the courts for ten years, but the creator won in the end. Ironically, PB Monopoly was itself a rip-off of earlier versions of Monopoly.
  - sehugg 14y ago
    It's still an evolving area, as evidenced by the recent Tetris vs. Xio lawsuit: http://www.sunsteinlaw.com/publications-news/news-letters/2012/06/Schecter_201206.html http://www.sunsteinlaw.com/publications-news/news-letters/20...
    - Dylan16807 14y ago
      Oh, wow. If I'm reading this right they decided that the pieces being made of four squares is protectable.
joering2 14y ago
you forgot to add that most likely by the end of the year this empty shell will be de-listed. edit: take a look at this: [1] - if the Chief Financial Officer dumps 50% of its Zynga stock in secondary offering, who really could believe there is any value in this trojan horse. [1] http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-losers-of-zyngas-stock-crash-2012-8?op=1 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-losers-of-zyngas-...
- aswanson 14y ago
  Hey, maybe we have Pincus all wrong; when he strongarmed his early employees into giving up stock options for late joiners, he may have been doing them a favor.
  - dakrisht 14y ago
    Pincus will lose all that money before you know it. He's nothing but a turd in the world of innovation. It's funny since Zynga is backed by KPCB and Bing Gordon (who was a big time player in EA back in the day).
dakrisht 14y ago
Couldn't agree more. Zynga is the biggest scam since Facbeook. Assholes like Pincus are not innovators at the least, they are just plain scumbags who are taking advantage of the boom. It's unfortunate. Especially how Pincus and others cashed out $400M+ and left investors to dry. Zynga will face their fate, as will Facebook, a lot of people will get rich, a lot of people will lose money, but at the end of the day Zynga won't be around for long and Facebook will be the next AIM.
- cpeterso 14y ago
  I understand why Pincus runs Zynga like he does. But I don't understand why Zynga's employees want to work there. They are (were?) probably hoping for a big lottery ticket, but they must realize that every day they go to work and rip off someone's original work. I'm reminded of Pigdog's "d00d, Quit being a FUCKING ASS" rant addressed to the programmers of Sony's malicious copy-protection: I know you didn't start off like this. I know that you're like me, that you're like all of us. That you love these things called computers, that your fingers itch when you're away from them, that your whole essence pours out of your fingertips into the keyboard when you make that system DO YOUR MAGIC. It's incredible, it's power, it's a tradition that goes back centuries, and it's flowing through you right now, right this very second. And you're BETRAYING it. You're standing on the shoulders of giants and SHITTING on them. For something you believe in? For something you're PROUD OF? Or for the dollars of Sony Megacorp and the opportunity that that brings? http://www.pigdog.org/auto/software_jihad/link/2581.html http://www.pigdog.org/auto/software_jihad/link/2581.html
  - Impossible 14y ago
    A lot of Zynga's employees are game industry developers and Zynga tends to pay better than most for a comparable title and skillset. I know a lot of people thay have left "beloved" console and PC developers to get a better paycheck at Zynga. This is especially true for game designers and artista who have less ability to simply leave games entirely to make more money.
- uvTwitch 14y ago
  I am dissapointed that Pincus and friends seem to have made a clean getaway, but I don't feel sorry for any investors that have been screwed by investing in Zynga.

majani 14y ago

Not really. The Samwer brothers may not be innovators, but they are problem solvers. They solve the very huge problem of internationalisation. Zynga doesn't solve anyone's problems. They just aim to kill/leech off competitors.

dakrisht 14y ago
I agree with your statement. Samwer bros aren't innovators by any means but they do solve internationalisation problems - no question. Good for them and I wish them success
loceng 14y ago
So if I launch at the same time internationally, then they won't copy me - you seem to be suggesting?
- qq66 14y ago
  Yes, if you do a good international launch, they usually won't, since there are lower-hanging fruit to pick.

wwweston 14y ago

I don't like Zynga either. My understanding is that games can't be copyrighted, though: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

msbarnett 14y ago
Basic mechanics, no. Text and look and feel are another story, though. In this case EA is alleging that The Ville is a derivative work not because it borrows mechanics but because it meets the 'substantially similar' test by meticulously cloning the look of The Sims Social, right down to copying the exact RGB colors of specific elements.
- A1kmm 14y ago
  Although it seems most of their argument (http://www.scribd.com/doc/101954002/EA-v-Zynga-Complaint-Final http://www.scribd.com/doc/101954002/EA-v-Zynga-Complaint-Fin...) except for the RGB values relate to game mechanics. As someone who doesn't play Facebook games, looking at the images, they certainly look like two different ways of expressing the same game. Some icons are similar - e.g. the 'heart break' icons, but they don't seem to be that novel for what they are depicting.
gamble 14y ago
Yeah, my understanding is that the case law was pretty well established with board games. You can steal pretty much the entire mechanics of a game, but not the specific artistic expression. Of course, that doesn't mean a company with deep pockets can't bludgeon anyone they like with the legal system. A good example in board games is a game called "Anti-Monopoly". (http://antimonopoly.com http://antimonopoly.com) It's pretty much a direct take-off on Parker Bros. Monopoly. Parker Bros. sued the creator and dragged the case through the courts for ten years, but the creator won in the end. Ironically, PB Monopoly was itself a rip-off of earlier versions of Monopoly.
- sehugg 14y ago
  It's still an evolving area, as evidenced by the recent Tetris vs. Xio lawsuit: http://www.sunsteinlaw.com/publications-news/news-letters/2012/06/Schecter_201206.html http://www.sunsteinlaw.com/publications-news/news-letters/20...
  - Dylan16807 14y ago
    Oh, wow. If I'm reading this right they decided that the pieces being made of four squares is protectable.

joering2 14y ago

you forgot to add that most likely by the end of the year this empty shell will be de-listed. edit: take a look at this: [1] - if the Chief Financial Officer dumps 50% of its Zynga stock in secondary offering, who really could believe there is any value in this trojan horse. [1] http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-losers-of-zyngas-stock-crash-2012-8?op=1 http://www.businessinsider.com/the-biggest-losers-of-zyngas-...

aswanson 14y ago
Hey, maybe we have Pincus all wrong; when he strongarmed his early employees into giving up stock options for late joiners, he may have been doing them a favor.
- dakrisht 14y ago
  Pincus will lose all that money before you know it. He's nothing but a turd in the world of innovation. It's funny since Zynga is backed by KPCB and Bing Gordon (who was a big time player in EA back in the day).

dakrisht 14y ago

Couldn't agree more. Zynga is the biggest scam since Facbeook. Assholes like Pincus are not innovators at the least, they are just plain scumbags who are taking advantage of the boom. It's unfortunate. Especially how Pincus and others cashed out $400M+ and left investors to dry. Zynga will face their fate, as will Facebook, a lot of people will get rich, a lot of people will lose money, but at the end of the day Zynga won't be around for long and Facebook will be the next AIM.

cpeterso 14y ago
I understand why Pincus runs Zynga like he does. But I don't understand why Zynga's employees want to work there. They are (were?) probably hoping for a big lottery ticket, but they must realize that every day they go to work and rip off someone's original work. I'm reminded of Pigdog's "d00d, Quit being a FUCKING ASS" rant addressed to the programmers of Sony's malicious copy-protection: I know you didn't start off like this. I know that you're like me, that you're like all of us. That you love these things called computers, that your fingers itch when you're away from them, that your whole essence pours out of your fingertips into the keyboard when you make that system DO YOUR MAGIC. It's incredible, it's power, it's a tradition that goes back centuries, and it's flowing through you right now, right this very second. And you're BETRAYING it. You're standing on the shoulders of giants and SHITTING on them. For something you believe in? For something you're PROUD OF? Or for the dollars of Sony Megacorp and the opportunity that that brings? http://www.pigdog.org/auto/software_jihad/link/2581.html http://www.pigdog.org/auto/software_jihad/link/2581.html
- Impossible 14y ago
  A lot of Zynga's employees are game industry developers and Zynga tends to pay better than most for a comparable title and skillset. I know a lot of people thay have left "beloved" console and PC developers to get a better paycheck at Zynga. This is especially true for game designers and artista who have less ability to simply leave games entirely to make more money.
uvTwitch 14y ago
I am dissapointed that Pincus and friends seem to have made a clean getaway, but I don't feel sorry for any investors that have been screwed by investing in Zynga.