ANDY MOORE, Q.C.ANDY MOORE, Q.C.AndyMoore.ca @Capn_Andy @Capn_Andy

CLONESCLONES

CLONESCLONESVS.VS.

MISFORTUNEMISFORTUNE

Misfortune:Fantastic Contraption

vs.Incredibots

Clone:? ? ? ?

A CLONE IS NOT A CLONE IS NOT (NECESSARILY A)(NECESSARILY A)1:1 DUPLICATION1:1 DUPLICATION

Overgrowth

The Blocks Cometh

Magnificent Gizmos and Gadgets

““CLONES”CLONES”VS.VS.

LEGALLY DISTINCTLEGALLY DISTINCT

Clone:A game that

maliciously duplicates another title…

Bonus points if it beats it to market.

Legally Distinct:

What you call your clone once the

lawyers get involved

How to tell if your game is a clone:

• If you need a list to help you decide

More Clones:

• Ridiculous Fishing / Ninja Fishing• Johann Sebastian Joust / Papa Quash• Super Crate Box / Insane Zombie Carnage• Triple Town / Yeti Town• Tiny Tower / Dream Heights• Super Puzzle Platformer / I Hate Puzzle• Tiny Hawk / Tiny Skater

COMMON ARGUMENTSCOMMON ARGUMENTS

Everything is a clone.

Well, no, actually. Everything isn’t a clone.

The line is so fuzzy there’s no distinction

between clone/not a

clone.

Just because the line is fuzzy doesn’t mean

it doesn’t exist.

Game design has no inherent value.

You are a jerk.

LEGALLY CORRECTLEGALLY CORRECT≠≠

MORALLY CORRECTMORALLY CORRECT

YOU CAN CHOOSEYOU CAN CHOOSEHOW TO REACTHOW TO REACT

–Andy Moore, SteamBirds

“Sure, they are legally distinct. But Bungie is being a moral dick.”

–Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, MineCraft

“Congratulations on passing 500k sales, FortressCraft!”