“I was going to spend the last week of my Kickstater preparing an update for new testers. But now, I absolutely have to review the whole aspect of the game so I don’t get sued.” When developing your game The store is closedJacob Shaw did not expect to arouse Ikea’s wrath.
The company found out about the project from the developer. But the idea of a horror video game that placed players alone in a furniture store did not appeal to the Swedish brand at all. It has also sent a formal notice to its creator, Kotaku reports.
A blue store, yellow letters
As the game’s crowdfunding campaign draws to a close, the letter from Ikea’s New York lawyers could throw everything into question. “Our client found out that you were developing a video game, The store is closedthat uses, without the consent of our client, indexes associated with the famous Ikea stores”, indicates the letter received.
The first images of the game’s announcement video leave little room for doubt. We see a big blue store with the name on the sign in yellow letters. Shortly after, an employee attacks the player, who was wearing a yellow jersey with blue stripes. You also have to reckon with catalogs that are a bit too similar.
The creator, Jacob Shaw, defends himself somewhat. He claims to have used generic elements to design his game, but for Ikea’s US lawyers it would be “easy to make a video game in a furniture store that doesn’t look like Ikea.”
The letter gives the developer ten days to correct the situation and eliminate “the clues” that suggest that the action takes place within the Swedish brand. Jacob Shaw will be able to count on the support he has already received to make his changes. Especially since the initial funding target – 11,600 euros – was far exceeded with 61,200 euros raised.
Source: BFM TV
