Copyright Row Sees StoneLoops! of Jurassica Pulled From App Store in Dodgy Manner By Rival
8:31 am, October 26th, 2009, Craig Grannell
Spot the difference: Puzz Loop, Luxor and Stoneloops! of Jurassica
Are you seated comfortably? Then we’ll begin.
Once upon a time (1998), there was a company called Mitchell Corporation, and it created a game called Puzz Loop, and there was much happiness and rejoicing. The fun-filled game enabled you to shoot coloured marbles at a relentless stream of incoming ones, aiming to create chain collisions of like-coloured marbles, which subsequently vanished.
Like all good action puzzlers, lots of companies were upset because they hadn’t thought of the idea first, and so they went ahead and created their own versions. For example, in 2003, there was PopCap Games with Zuma, and then in 2005, Luxor by MumboJumbo.
For a time, all the Puzz Loops of the world lived happily in Videogameland, until the day they all decided to move to iPodWorld. There, they met Stoneloops! of Jurassica, and MumboJumbo decided to become a great big jerk and have Stoneloops! of Jurassica booted out of iPodWorld.
Stoneloops! of Jurassica might have had a a stupid name, but MumboJumbo’s real problem was that Stoneloops! of Jurassica was wearing a really similar T-short to Luxor, and therefore asked the Big Bad Apple to stamp on its rival’s head until it was dead and buried. And no-one lived happily ever after.
The end.
Clearly, rights infringement is a big concern on the App Store. However, Apple should not be placed in the position of having to nuke a product on the basis that it’s like another one, when the rival making the complaint rips off existing and older IP. If Mitchell Corporation had thrown a hissy fit, it might have had a point, but it didn’t. This incident, however, is the equivalent of TAITO getting the likes of Reflexion pulled from the App Store due to it being somewhat like Arkanoid, while Breakout owner Atari looks on, puzzled. However, TAITO hasn’t done this, because, unlike MumboJumbo, it hasn’t lost its marbles. [You're fired—Ed.]
Posted by Craig Grannell in Apple, News, Opinions, iPhone Apps | Comment on this article
When I first played Stoneloops on the iPhone I thought I’d seen something terribly familiar before, then remembered Zuma from PopCap. I didn’t realise that even the PopCap version was based on another version.
Rodti MacLeary, on October 26th, 2009 at 8:44 am
actually Craig they can. and if they are trying to use the same loophole as ISPs from the DMCA to avoid being added as an offending party, then once told something is a copyright violation they must remove it until the issue is solved.
which might suck for those that haven’t gotten the app, but I haven’t seen any reports of Apple killing existing copies a la Amazon and 1984. and if and when the issue is resolved the app could be returned to the store.
Charli, on October 26th, 2009 at 9:02 am
@Charli: You’re right, and I knew that, but my conclusion wasn’t very well written nor clear enough. I’ve therefore updated it. Thanks for the nudge.
Craig Grannell, on October 26th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Except gameplay like this can’t be copyrighted! The method of implementation can, or conceivably the gameplay could have been patented, but I’d wager it wasn’t.
ChuckEye, on October 26th, 2009 at 10:58 am
wow, i remember zuma from when i was in like 8th grade.
i bought stone loops too, and i love it. too bad they removed it.
ambienteternity, on October 26th, 2009 at 11:05 am
this type of game is available from every one under the sun…how can someone say they own it…it is apparently open source of some kind or un-copywritable
Alexis, on October 26th, 2009 at 4:43 pm