Bizarre defends going after Geometry Wars clones

Don't like it? Make yours better. The one that attempts to squash any imitation is the one that is against innovation. In a sense, they are incapable of creating anything unique to their product that cannot easily be replicated by a home programmer.

Does such a person deserve my money? Not if they're going to go after the little guy, the guy they claim to be. Now if they're selling the clones, that's a different issue, and even then unless it's an outright ripoff to the core.. you'll have a hard time getting me to shed a tear.

What a bunch of @$$holes. Don't they realize that many of the people playing the clones probably already own Geometry Wars and want the same fix on another system? And don't they see this is just marketing, attracting people to the real thing? Greedy SOB's want to ruin everything because they can't see the bigger picture.

I'm suprised to see the amount of high-star or multiple-star carrying Joystiq'ers on this comments list UNABLE to see how this is a copyright infringement! People actually acting like Bizzarre isn't getting ripped off.

It's like people see the word 'LAWSUIT' and they can't possibly comprehend that it may be justified.

If this beloved 'grid wars' is so special, tell me WHY is has to completely mimic the look of Geometry Wars? Why use the same colors and shapes? Why use the same gameplay?

Because the creators of Grid Wars wanted to rip-off Geometry Wars. They wanted a game that plays the same without a 360. If you play GridWars and you're able to get the same experience you would if you played Geometry Wars, then the creators of Grid Wars are taking the audience - after Bizzarre created the demand.

Bizzarre has to step in and do something because the law defines it as necessary: each time a company allows a rip-off or clone to happen, it sets a precedent for a future copy to happen. As in "Well, why are you suing us if you let that other company do it last year?" The court system needs to see active defense and protection of a copyright. If you every pay attention to copyright lawsuits (and I see many of you never have or ever will) you would know that companies can lose their trademark by allowing a concept or brand-name to slip into common usage, thereby losing the ability to copyright it.

Plain and simple: if it reminds you of Geometry Wars, looks like Geometry Wars, but most importantly, if it nullifies the need for you to go buy Geometry Wars, it's a rip-off of Geometry Wars.

WHY does this make so many of you mad? It's a super-affordable game (around $5), one of the best games for the 360, and yet some of you feel like it's owed to you to be able to go play a rip-off. In my eyes, you don't deserve, or understand, quality.

ill trooper, I understand your point, and I'm not disagreeing with it. What you need to understand is that most gamers couldn't care less about the business perspective, a perspective that has screwed them over in many ways, especially when it comes to imports and region coding. But also, consider the fact that many of these people want the GW experience outside of their 360, like in their cubicles.

Plaid Ninja -

True, and maybe this is a sign of what's to come - Bizarre releasing a version for the PC, and trying to clear the path.

Slightly different topic: Another new post is up on Joystiq now, a comment from the creator of Grid Wars.
J. Goodwin said something in the comments section that made me go look more closely at the history of Grid Wars and how the creator, Mark Incitti, has a long history of creating knock-off versions of popular arcade games. He knew what he was doing.