According to a report from The Verge, EA has decided to sue social gaming company Zynga over striking similarities to one of its most popular franchises, The Sims, and specifically the “Social” edition. Zynga’s new game “The Ville” was unveiled at an event last month in San Francisco, causing us (and everyone else) to think “copycat.” Clearly, EA agrees. Here’s what Lucy Bradshaw, GM of EA’s Maxis label had to say Friday: “The similarities go well beyond any superficial resemblance. Zynga’s design choices, animations, visual arrangements and character motions and actions have been directly lifted from The Sims Social. The copying was so comprehensive that the two games are, to an uninitiated observer, largely indistinguishable. Scores of media and bloggers commented on the blatant mimicry.” Read the full story at The Next Web.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with technology, media and marketing. Named LinkedIn’s “Top Voice in Technology,” he covers tech and business for Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN and writes a popular daily business blog. He's a bestselling author, and the creator of the popular, free online course, Generative AI for Execs. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.