Asset theft in the browser-based and mobile gaming spaces has proven more prevalent than in a retail release. Perhaps developers feel that there’s less on the line. The latest instance of such comes courtesy of Tweeria, a Twitter-based online RPG that readily bills itself as a “lazy” RPG. The game demands only that its players Tweet while their avatar quests in their stead.
It’s a unique take, but tarnished by the liberties its developers have taken with others’ art. In-game images have been pulled from sources such as DeviantArt (sans attribution), but the worst offenses may be tied to the World of Warcraft trading card game, class images having been ripped from it wholesale.
The artists are upset, the developers are upset, and Tweeria’s response, thus far, has been to cite their small and non-commercial nature as justification for taking and using the artwork. They’ve added a notice at the bottom of their website that simply reads “Based on World of Warcraft image files and texts.”
A recent statement from Tweeria’s developers indicates that they have been taking down unauthorized art and are currently seeking consent from authors whose assets they wish to use. Hopefully this serves as a lesson to their peers.
Source: Ars Technica