Imitation is said to be the highest form of flattery. Maybe that’s why “clones” (or copies) are so common in the video game landscape. There is a fine line to draw between inspiration and down-right plagiarism. A line that has been rapidly obscured in recent years due to the sheer amount of clones on the market. If a game is popular enough, there is no doubt that it will have several clones by the next year alone. Take Overwatch for example. The Blizzard title launched in 2015 and has been played religiously ever since. Its e-sports scene is highly regarded, and it has spawned many clones. Yet, Overwatch in itself could be regarded as a clone of the PC game Team Fortress 2, and often is. The same could be said for Overwatch and Paladins. Or Overwatch and Valorant. Or any other of the supposed “clones” of the game. They’re all team-based shooters. That doesn't make them identical, but part of the same genre, sharing settings and themes that build off of eachother. Yes, Star Wars drew lots of inspiration from Frank Herbert’s Dune, but there is a big jump from that to “they’re the same”. Rather, most agree that they’re both science fiction. This isn’t to say that clones aren’t an issue. Plagiarism is a major problem for every artform. Many consider Paladin’s similarities with its predecessor too many for comfort. But jumping the gun isn’t the solution. We all need to give some time for these games to grow and change. To come into their own. If we do, they might just become some of our favorite experiences, far more beloved then the original.( I’m looking at you, Xbox.)
1 Comment
mando beats lando
11/18/2020 04:17:09 am
imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMcRae Walker, an 20-year-old writer and lover of many dorky topics. Archives
September 2022
Categories |