Poppy Playtime Dev Sues Google Over Fake Apps Scam

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Maker of the widely-liked horror game series under the name Poppy Playtime, Mob Entertainment, has initiated a civil lawsuit. The suit targets Google and another developer, Daigo Game 2020, Inc., whom Mob accuses of exploiting their game’s title and visual identity to trick fans into spending money fraudulently. In this legal action against Google and Daigo Game 2020, Mob Entertainment alleges copyright infringement, trademark dilution, and unfair competition. They seek a minimum compensation of $375,000 as part of the lawsuit.

Poppy Playtime is a survival horror game with an episodic format, which debuted its first chapter in October 2021. This game is set within a toy factory that resembles Willy Wonka’s factory but is filled with grotesque living toys. The series gained popularity due to its misleading child-friendly appearance, causing schools to advise parents about the frightening character known as Huggy Wuggy – a long-legged, blue furry monster who has become a sort of symbol for this game series.

As a die-hard fan of Poppy Playtime, I’m beyond excited for the release of Chapter 4 on January 30! However, it seems there’s been an unfortunate twist. Back in October 2024, another company, Daigo Game 2020, Inc., sneakily launched an app titled “Poppy Playtime Chapter 4” on the Google Play Store. Now, Mob Entertainment’s legal team has filed a lawsuit against this company in a California civil court.

Apparently, Daigo not only created an app mimicking Poppy Playtime’s Chapter 4 but also copied the third chapter, releasing it well before the original game hit Steam and even longer before it landed on Google Play. While these apps appear to be free versions of the actual chapters, users are instead asked to pay up to $95 for a mod that leads them to an inactive URL. So, fellow fans, let’s stay vigilant and wait for the official release from our beloved Poppy Playtime team!

Poppy Playtime Claims Google Violated Copyright Laws

As a dedicated gamer pouring over the 40-page court doc, I’ve discovered that Mob Entertainment is accusing Daigo of using images from Poppy Playtime Chapter 2 in his apps to trick players. This allegedly involves referencing numerous enemies from Poppy Playtime, such as Huggy Wuggy and Mommy Long Legs, along with the GrabPack tool, and even characters like Bubba Bubbaphant and DogDay. These Smiling Critters are a significant part of the game’s charm!

The lawsuit filed against Google alleges that Mob Entertainment demanded the removal of two suspected fraudulent apps belonging to Daigo from the Google Play Store, with the first request sent on October 31, 2024. Although one of these apps, Poppy Playtime Chapter 3, was taken down by December 9, 2024, it reappeared on the store by January 13, 2025, and remains in the top search results for Poppy Playtime. Mob Entertainment is not only seeking to have the apps removed but also asking for a minimum of $75,000 in actual damages, along with statutory damages of $150,000 per infringed work, plus court costs and legal fees.

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2025-01-18 23:36