Sci-Fi Author Files Lawsuit Against Bungie

by

Sci-Fi Author Files Lawsuit Against Bungie

Key Takeaways

  • An author has filed a lawsuit against Bungie claiming copyright infringement in Destiny 2’s Red War storyline.
  • The lawsuit alleges Bungie copied key elements from author’s story, including antagonist factions and character backstories.
  • Lawsuit seeks damages and injunctive relief to potentially remove infringing content from Destiny 2.

As a lifelong fan of Destiny and a science fiction enthusiast, I find myself both surprised and disheartened by this recent turn of events. It’s always fascinating to see how creators draw inspiration from one another, but when it comes to copyright infringement, it’s a whole different ball game.

An American science fiction writer has taken legal action against Bungie, the creators of Destiny 2, alleging that they have violated his copyright by incorporating aspects of his plot into the storyline of Destiny 2.

Fresh from celebrating Destiny’s 10th anniversary, it’s no overstatement to acknowledge that Bungie has crafted a veritable institution in live-service games. With millions of players under their belt for both Destiny and Destiny 2, I’ve become intimately familiar with Bungie’s signature shooter style and the extraordinary universe they’ve built. It’s an intriguing realm where Bungie combines military sci-fi with high-concept fantasy – a place where immortal Guardians armed with the might of Light and Darkness brandish an assortment of mystical firearms to combat humanity’s and its allies’ foes.

Based on a lawsuit filed by Louisiana-based author Kelsey Martineau, there are doubts about the authenticity of certain elements. According to an article from The Game Post, on October 2, 2024, Martineau filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The lawsuit claims that Bungie copied parts directly from Martineau’s work and used them in the Red War storyline of Destiny 2. The Red War was the main storyline for Destiny 2, available from its release in 2017 until it was phased out in 2020. This content can still be found within the controversial Destiny Content Vault.

Sci-Fi Author Claims Destiny 2 Copied The Red War

As per the court case, Bungie allegedly breached copyright laws by incorporating significant aspects of a story written by Martineau under the pseudonym Caspar Cole in 2013-2014, which was published on a WordPress.com blog. The primary accusation in the lawsuit is that both the story and Destiny 2 share a common enemy faction named the Red Legion. In Destiny 2, the Red Legion are a warlike Cabal group led by Dominus Ghaul, who aims to seize control of the Traveler, a colossal entity hovering over the Last City. On the other hand, in Martineau’s story, the Red Legion is an alien army commanded by Overlord Yinnerah, a warlord intent on conquering Earth and claiming Tononob Station, a massive space station in low orbit.

The heart of the dispute lies with Destiny 2, but the entire complaint also highlights several parallels between this game and Martineau’s tale. These points of comparison encompass aspects such as the motivations behind Yinnerah and Dominus Ghaul, the Cabal enemies in Destiny 2 who brandish flamethrowers, War Beasts, the character Failsafe, and even later plot twists about the Exo race. If the lawsuit prevails, Martineau aims to secure compensation and an injunction, which could compel Bungie to expunge infringing content from Destiny 2 or halt any future game developments that incorporate infringing elements. As of now, Bungie has not issued a statement regarding this legal action.

Read More

2024-10-09 13:43