Gameloft has made a name for itself by creating mobile games "inspired" by popular console franchises. It's mostly harmless (if rather shameless) but Gameloft has defended its sticky-fingered tactics, claiming that everybody does it.
"The video game industry has always played around a limited number of themes. There is maybe one new idea a year," says CEO Michel Guillemot. "If a type of game is not available, then you should make it. The damaging thing is if you do a bad expression of a good idea."
In a way, I do agree with Guillemot. Gameloft does at least put some effort into creating its own stories and worlds for the games they choose to copy, and they generally make damn fine mobile games. When Darksiders and Saints Row can get away with it, I dare say Gameloft can.
However ... when you have a game like Shadow Guardian that is less reinterpretation and more blatant duplication, perhaps you need to be a bit more honest about your mimicry.
Guillemot's Goal: Gameloft on Every Screen [IGN]
Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize.
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Contest:
1:00 PM on 01.14.2011 | 
It's not the same thing, Gameloft.
Shadow Guardian is a fucking copy and paste. Also, what Masterballs said - when Uncharted 2 wasn't the most original concept already (despite being a brilliant game), copying it is pretty bad.
...and not one of them will ever come from us.
Jim, don't compare Saints Row or Darksiders to Gameloft's games. Darksiders put a new twist to a tried formula (which is already getting too old) by making it feel dark and fresh, and outperformed Nintendo in many ways. Shadow Guardian, on the other hand, only needs Nolan North (and a lot of polish) to be an Uncharted game on mobiles.
Um, Uncharted does feel a good bit like the most recent Tomb Raider games. At least, the first Uncharted does, which is the only one I've completely played through so far. It's not a direct clone, and it has a much greater emphasis on shooting than action, but there's A LOT of Tomb Raider and Prince of Persia in there.
Basically: "It's OK that we copy games, because most ideas are unoriginal."
A company NOT full of douche bags would say "Most ideas are unoriginal, so we've made it an initiative to try and be as original as possible."
Two wrongs don't make a right, guys.
It's also erroneous to assume trying something new and failing is worse than copying someone well, which is what's implied when he says "f a type of game is not available, then you should make it. The damaging thing is if you do a bad expression of a good idea."
Everyone in the game industry with the last name Guillemot is full of shit.
"Game industry has one new idea a year... None of them from GameLoft, of course."
"Game industry has one new idea a year... And we intend to mimic ever single one."
Hasn't this been the argument every company has used to stay away from new IPs for years now?
/slowclap
Now Gamelofts in the game of "stealing" arguments too.
My thoughts exactly. The industry may have copycats, but don't revel in the fact that you're one of them.
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