NCSoft Sues Kakao Games and XL Games Over ArcheAge War 'Similarities' to Lineage 2M

mmorpg.com:

NCSoft has filed a lawsuit against Kakao Games and XL Games for copyright infringement, saying that ArcheAge War, which just released in Korea, copied NCSoft’s Lineage 2M.

The lawsuit over Kakao Games and XL Games’ latest ArcheAge title release shares enough similarities that NCSoft decided that a lawsuit was warranted. NCSoft issued a press release (as cited by Korea JooAng Daily), that said “We have found many similarities in the content and system in ArcheAge War , a game released by Kakao Games and XL Games on March 21, with our major title Lineage 2M ”.

ArcheAge War is the latest release from Kakao Games and XL Games, which Kakao acquired back in 2020. The cross-platform MMORPG released back on March 21st in Korea, and while there is nothing on a potential global release, the ArcheAge IP continues to expand globally. ArcheWorld , a blockchain MMO, is set to release globally this month following a successful Korean launch. An ArcheAge 2 has been confirmed to be in development as well.

NCSoft’s Lineage 2M is a reimagining of the original Lineage 2 with cross-platform play on PC and mobile. It launched in Korea and later, launched in North America and Europe at the end of 2021. According to reports on the lawsuit, some players have even begun pointing out similarities between the two games, from interface to items,and more about the new game, seemed close to Lineage 2M. XL Games’ CEO, Jake Song, worked on the original Lineage over 20 years ago.

NCSoft later consulted experts to determine if there might be something to it. “IP is the fruit of long-term research and development of a company which must be properly protected,” the company said in its release, and in making these allegations, believe that