Why do mobile game app studios care less about copyright than AAA game studios? It’s pretty simple, really. AAA game studios are like the fancy chefs of the gaming world. They spend years crafting a game that’s packed with unique, eye-popping visuals and meticulously designed gameplay. When you’re launching something that creative, with a budget that could feed a small country, you really can’t afford to have some copycat pop up the day after launch with a “discount version” of your game. AAA studios play it safe because they know the stakes are high, and no one wants to see their hard work ripped off right after a billion-dollar marketing campaign.
On the flip side, mobile game app studios operate in a wild west of sorts. The app store is flooded with quick-fix games that follow trends or are seasonal—think about those games that spike around a holiday and vanish right after. A lot of these studios don’t care as much about protecting their games because, let’s face it, the games themselves are often here today, gone tomorrow. Plus, mobile apps are much easier to copy. If your mobile game is riding a trend, why bother going through the hassle of copyrighting something that might die out in a few months?
But here’s the plot twist: in recent years, mobile game studios are starting to wake up to the importance of copyright. Why? Because competitors have been pulling the ol’ “DMCA strike” card, taking down games right after launch and costing these studios some serious cash. No one wants their game booted out of the app store before the in-app purchases even kick in. So, mobile game developers are now more protective of their work, learning that, just like AAA studios, they need to guard their revenue—and their pride—from the vultures.
Image sources: Steam, Pinterest and Jane Weston Weekly Photography Project
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