An independent developer recently publicly accused the developers of Zenless Zone Zero of plagiarizing his work. The developer’s argument is that “Zero Zero” is highly similar to his product in terms of visual design and gameplay mechanics. This similarity has gone beyond the scope of “borrowing” and entered the realm of “plagiarism.”
Indie developer thinks Zone Zero is “too much of a reference”
“Zero” is an action-adventure game launched by miHoYo (now HoYoverse). After its official release, it received a lot of player attention and good market performance. The game is known for its refined art style and smooth action system, features that the indie developer believes have been plagiarized.
What is at the heart of the plagiarism accusation?
According to the independent developer, the development team behind Zero Zero overlaps with his work on multiple levels. Although he did not provide many comparative details, his remarks sparked quite a discussion in the community. The slogan “Plagiarism is more than a compliment” accurately hits the sensitive nerves of the industry regarding IP protection.
The issue of trust between large companies and small teams has been brought up for discussion again!
In the games industry, it’s often difficult to determine the line between plagiarism and legitimate borrowing. Especially for those works that have similarities in gameplay mechanics, it is difficult to confirm plagiarism with simple comparison. Industry insiders pointed out that if the developer has specific evidence, the dispute should be resolved through formal legal channels.