Hong Kong Derby Game “Winning Derby” Gallops into Plagiarism Dispute
The new mobile game Winning Derby from Hong Kong is coming under fire for alleged plagiarism from the well-liked Japanese game Jockey Girl Pretty Derby. Players of both the games have noted parallels in the character designs, visual style, and gameplay.
In this April-released game, young girls who train and race thoroughbreds are called horse girls. This seemingly simple yet unique game premise has some say Winning Derby draws too much from its more established rival and goes beyond inspiration.
Fueling the fire, ML Interactive, the developers of Winning Derby, are a young, inexperienced firm. Some people even say that artificial intelligence generates the character artwork in the game. Also, they say that the 3D models look low-quality. In defending themselves, ML Interactive also said that they think their game differs from Jockey Girl Pretty Derby.
The debate about plagiarism has even reached the Hong Kong government. Game Optimization and Promotion Scheme, which funded the Winning Derby creation as part of a scheme meant to help regional game developers. Government officials are looking into the plagiarism claims right now, sparking controversy about whether the game represents a good use of public funds.
Additionally, if the charges prove accurate, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau has also threatened to withhold money. You can take a look at the gameplay for this title below.
Character designs, gameplay mechanics, and the horse-girl motif of Winning Derby are all quite similar to those of Jockey Girl Pretty Derby. The Hong Kong government is investigating whether Winning Derby copied another game in violation of its funding conditions. This circumstance highlights the difficulties smaller developers have competing in a crowded market. Though inspiration is a valuable instrument, influence and imitation are different.
We’ll have to wait and see the outcome of Derby’s investigation. Whether the game is deemed an original creation or a copycat could have
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