David Jaffe and Sony Being Sued Over God of War Copyright Infringement
By Jonathan on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008 at 3:46 PM PST In Game Companies, Game Consoles, Games, Games Industry, Sony, Sony
David Jaffe and Sony have apparently had a lawsuit filed against them for alleged copyright infringement in the God of War series. The suit was filed by Jonathan Bissoon-Dath and Jennifer Barrette-Herzog in the U.S. District Court of California, who are alleging that God of War is too similar to their written works, Olympiad and The Adventures of Own: Owen’s Olympic Adventure. The two say that they sent their works to Sony in hopes of getting them made into motion pictures, as well as to several agents that work with the SCEA. This happened around three years before the first God of War game shipped, which is also the time that David Jaffe said the game took to make. Here are a few examples of the similarities the lawsuit describes:
- Plaintiff’s works tell the original story of how a champion saves Athens from destruction by the invading Spartan army that has been sent by Ares… [GoW]… is the story of how a champion chosen by Zeus and Athens saves Athen from destruction by an invading army sent by Ares…
- In plaintiff’s original work and God of War, the Champion’s family is hacked to death in a one-room building in a small peaceful village. In both stories the Champion feels partially responsible even though he is not really to blame…
- In exchange for Kratos’ pledge, Ares gives him… the Blades of Chaos… two massive, glowing, sword-like blades fastened to chains fused to Kratos’s wrists… These Blade of Chaos are taken directly from a scene in Bissoon-Dath’s work… “As Zeus strides forward… his hands MORPH into two massive swords that glow like light sabers…”
- …Owen must cross the Bottomless Valley over a long, sagging suspension bridge, shown on Barrette-Herzog’s map… in God of War Kratos must cross the Bottomless Chasm on a long, sagging suspension bridge…
Wow, a bottomless pit, swords for hands, and a family being killed. I’m surprised the writers behind Indiana Jones, Terminator, and Bambi aren’t in on this lawsuit. Or the Greek poet, Homer, for that matter. I just hope we hear another fun-filled rant on David Jaffe’s blog about this some time soon.
Via GamePolitics
I guess David Jaffe and Sony should sue Epic Games as well for using the first same three letters as God of War; GoW, Gears of War. Why can’t we all just get along?
Haha you know sony stole the idea.
“…that glow like light sabers…”
Yes, the plaintiffs are clearly pro-originality.
I hope the plaintiff’s win, there are too many similarities to refute.
Given Sony’s shady past with copy rights and patents, I’d give the authors the benefit of the doubt.
Krator_Killer; There’s a huge difference. Here it’s clear that they stole his ideas.
I hope Sony looses. They got far too much money anyways.
All the people declaring who is right in this case should really get a grip on reality when you know next to nothing about it.
You seriously have no idea how dumb it makes you look saying that
I hope none of you ever sit on a jury because you obviously don’t have a fucking clue about whats right and wrong and the concept of a fair trial
Norbit, being a comment-log douchebag isn’t any better.
Anyways, going by what this little story has to offer…it looks as if Sony did jack some ideas from those people. Seriously, those are more than just random similarities.
Be aware that the article probably only lists the most pertinent arguments, and there is probably a lot of other stuff in there that point to a similarity between the game and the written work. And besides which, it doesn’t have to be an EXACT copy of the written work for this case to be proven…. if the plantiff’s did send in their work as described, all they have to do is prove a similarity between the two works to show Sony may have got the God of War concept from their work. And if so, then Sony will owe them big time….
It took them 3 years to notice that a series as popular as God of War was similar to something they created? They either live in their mom’s basement, or waited on purpose for God of War to make lots of money so they could claim a stake in it.
That’s like suing Norbit for being an asshole…….wait….can I do that?
Go Marlins!!!!
It would seem they have a case…
but really… what game doesn’t have a bottomless chasm with a long, sagging suspension bridge?
your mom has a bottomless chasm with a long, sagging suspension bridge!
Dath is a lawyer turned writer… made no money on his book… Sony wouldn’t buy his screen play… So, the lawyer in him returns… I guess if you don’t get success sue and sue again….