EA Responds to Copyright Infringement Accusations

So, EA’s had a fun last month hasn’t it? First the ME3 DLC, then the ME3 ending, then the supposed anti-gay campaign (which we’ve only seen evidence of once back in January), and now they’ve got a few problems with the upcoming Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances.

It started three days ago when Reddit user Bro-Jangles identified a new tank in the game as a Baneblade from the popular tabletop game Warhammer 40000. As the pictures reveal, it’s more than simply an inspiration, it’s an exact copy. Right down to the nitty gritty details including the double cylinders at the back.

Not only is the one tank directly taken from Warhammer 40000 but user FF_Gargamel found out the Ork Bonecruncha was also lifted for another vehicle as well (many sites are crediting corevirus with the find but he simply put together a similar comparison to the original and posted it the next day). Both images were quickly taken down from the official site.

So, naturally, explanations were in order. And EA delivers to Gamespot. “Games Workshop and EA are aware of the IP issues around the artwork in question, which have now been resolved,” they say, which I assume means that they totally pulled the plug on those designs and apologized profusely to Games Workshop’s lawyers. “The artwork was internal EA concept art that was unintentionally released publicly. No Warhammer 40,000 tanks have ever made an appearance in Command and Conquer: Tiberium Alliances, and never will.” EA and Games Workshop are still working together on the now-in-beta Warhammer: Wrath of Heroes. 

It’s a bit strange that someone would go to great lengths to make such detailed and intricate concept art for an upcoming game when nothing of the art can possibly be used. It definitely sounds like someone got lazy and hoped that a game with legions of rabid fans wouldn’t notice.

For those wondering why there’s a big issue when EA is making Warhammer games anyway, the Warhammer license EA has with Games Workshop is for Warhammer’s fantasy line, not the Warhammer 40k universe. THQ is the one with the license for that.