Google joins the BAN-wagon with Apple in removing Tetris-like games from its Android app store, according to Ars. The Tetris Company, which handles licensing for the popular franchise created by Alexei Pajitnov, has sent a DMCA takedown to Google, who in turn has eliminated all Teris-like games from its store.
35 Tetris-like games have been removed from the Android market - even though many of them didn't use any art or knock off names that might trick users into thinking the games were the "real deal."
Tetris Company's challenge to these games, according to ARS, is that they "infringe on the game's trade dress, which is protected under the Lanham Act" (see bitlaw.com for the actual law). Trade dress relates to the "likeness of a product" and deals with copy cat products that might be confused with the real product.
The official game created by EA sucks, says Ars. I'll take their word for it.
Comments
Re: Google Removes Android Tetris Clones
Reminds me of how First Star Software had a whack-a-mole against all sorts of Boulder Dash clones a few years ago, just before they announced the "Boulder Dash Rocks" game. Okay, they didn't go about killing *that* many clones, but they weren't civil about it, either.
Oh, and I can confirm about the official EA Tetris on PSP. It does suck. It has no multiplayer in any way, shape or form. That may however be a Sony restriction. But! You don't get to compare (or even save) your highscores. Because ... the game doesn't *have* scores. Yes. I'm not kidding. And in Marathon mode, all you do is try to beat the highest difficulty. You can really beat and finish Tetris, there.
Re: Google Removes Android Tetris Clones
First, the Tetris company already proved to be run by some sort of assholes, if you search around Tetris fan forums, they HATE tetris company because its frequent take-down of great Tetris clones (like, Sega version of it, when they used a different rotation system than the current enforced one SRS, and also used a different piece randomizer, that actually works better, proved mathematically).
And the DCMA, that allow such assholeness is one of the most broken laws ever. The DCMA is called here as "monopoly law" because what it do is enforce monopolies, by both bashing other companies, costumers, scientists... Even foreign people (like the russian math guy, arrested when he went to the US give a speech, his field of work is cryptoanalysis, a field that the DCMA makes illegal).
criadordejogos.wordpress.com
Re: Google Removes Android Tetris Clones
My experience with this only encouraged me to think that The Tetris Company is stifling innovation. Last year they took over a very fun Tetris style Facebook game, gutted everything that was good about it and replaced it with a lesser game. I don't mind Tetris getting their dues, but I do mind when they ruin perfectly good games in order to do it.
Re: Google Removes Android Tetris Clones
When they say "Tetris clones," do they mean games that outright copies Tetris, or just games with a similar idea like Collapse?
Re: Google Removes Android Tetris Clones
Those that copy Tetris outright.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary