Bethesda Softworks - Allege Stolen Code

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@TMZ Bethesda Softworks have alleged that Warner Brothers have stolen code for use in the Westworld game.

Warner Bros. got in bed with a tech company that jacked codes in order to fast-track and produce its "Westworld" mobile app ... so claims another company in a new lawsuit.

The gaming company, Bethesda Softworks, is suing the media giant and Behaviour Interactive and, in the suit, says Behaviour stole its designs, artwork and codes ... and used them in the "Westworld" game.

[...]
More information.
 
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As my posts tend to be ignored, please someone, type how Bethesda knew the code is stolen. What in Warner's phonegame gave it away.
 
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As my posts tend to be ignored, please someone, type how Bethesda knew the code is stolen. What in Warner's phonegame gave it away.

The bugs?
 
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Exactly. I'm not kidding.
 
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Those would make excellent ownership markers! All this time, those bugs were actually a clever legal strategy... ;)
 
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Matching bugs should make a much stronger legal case, I would thing. The look and feel may end up similar through coincidence, but having the bugs match is pretty damning. My guess is that WB will dump Behavior Interactive like a hot potato and settle the case.
 
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Well, if the bugs do match that's pretty damning evidence. In any case, I hope it turns out into some long drawn legal saga, it would be sad if it's the open and shut case it seems at the moment.
 
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Just watch, it will be based on something related to a custom mod made by a fan and uploaded to creation club, and once you upload it technically becomes Bethesda property.
 
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Who would nick crap programming from a reviled studio such as Bethesda? Have some class and at least steal from Hairbrained or Spiderweb studios, you'd be nicking useful stuff that actually functions.
 
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Who would nick crap programming from a reviled studio such as Bethesda? Have some class and at least steal from Hairbrained or Spiderweb studios, you'd be nicking useful stuff that actually functions.

The issue here isn't just that it is Bethesda, but Zenimax - who are notoriously litigious. If they are right (and I'm not saying one way or another they are or not) then the defendants are in a world of trouble.
 
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Those would make excellent ownership markers! All this time, those bugs were actually a clever legal strategy… ;)

Reminds me of that Titan Quest thing ...
 
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As I said on the forum thread the sued party created code for Fallout Shelter. Now taking a look at the Westworld clone it's pretty obvious of theft. WB should be ashamed.
 
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Who would nick crap programming from a reviled studio such as Bethesda? Have some class and at least steal from Hairbrained or Spiderweb studios, you'd be nicking useful stuff that actually functions.

They didn't "nick" anything. The same contractor (Behaviour) made Fallout Shelter for Bethesda and the Westworld game for Warner Bros…and also Assassin's Creed Rebellion for Ubisoft but Bethesda didn't bother suing over that Fallout Shelter clone for some reasons (maybe because it is still in open beta?).

Basically Bethesda is claiming that Behaviour default mobile game code can't be used anymore because its contractually belong to Bethesda. I saw someone on another forum say that the code pre-date Fallout Shelter so, that should be interesting.
 
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I work at a software company and we do this all the time. We re-use code from one project for another project -- its built into the contracts.

Part of the problem here is that Bethesda has lawyers on retainer -- they spend $ on legal fees regardless if they use legal services. Therefore, they use the lawyers like attack dogs, usually picking on little guys who they can drown in legal fees to reach a lucrative settlement. These activities offset the cost of legal services.

But this time, they are going after a big fat settlement against a big company -- Notice they are suing both WB and Behaviour Interactive.
 
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Not sure how much. Given that fallout shelter is mostly a free game it would be interesting to see damages claim. Naturally if found guilty WB will have to drop the current game (thought they could rewrite it from scratch).

However, having said that judges are really stupid and in a lot of these cases they will find 10 lines of offending code and that is enough to doom the entire project.


The issue here isn't just that it is Bethesda, but Zenimax - who are notoriously litigious. If they are right (and I'm not saying one way or another they are or not) then the defendants are in a world of trouble.
 
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