Chinese and free to play games around the world are copying some of the best selling IPs and games. It needs to stop.
First, it was a Chinese iPhone app vendor who completely lifted their game from a competitor on the iOS Store. Now, word today the free to play shooter Arctic Combat lifted a map developed for the game Counterstrike. In addition, another story today was about how a fighting game in China includes Iron Man, a licensed part of Marvel/Disney, as well as Kratos from God of War.
Can we please stop this?
It is one thing to deal with just 'piracy' or game copying. Enough gray area remains in this real to keep the debate going for ages. However, completely stealing a licensed property or game and using it as your own is most definitely a violation of copyright and trademark laws. As money becomes tight, and as development lengthens, developers are violating the law and ethical practices with shortcuts such as these. These frauds need to be exposed for their stealing of intellectual property. This was why the copyright and trademark laws were originally intended, and as much as some want to argue whether this governs game 'piracy', it definitely does violate the law when intellectual property is misappropriated.
For the story about Arctic Combat, check out http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/08/24/arctic-combat-counter-strike/
For Legend of Shengdao, the Chinese game stealing Iron Man and Kratos, check out http://kotaku.com/5938062/im-confused-a-chinese-game-with-iron-man-and-kratos-cant-be-bad-right/gallery/1