Blizzard China suing ‘Overwatch clone’ developers

Don’t fret, chums, the backup’s arrived

It’s been reported by Japanese website PC Watch that Blizzard Entertainment and its partner in the Orient, Netease, are suing the developers of mobile arena-shooter Heroes of Warfare, 4399, over claims that the Android/iOS title is a rip-off of their own team-based battler, Overwatch.

Heroes of Warfare features two teams of kooky characters battling it out over checkpoints, on a variety of maps, which are suspiciously similar in layout to maps featured in Blizzard’s celebrated shooter, the game also contains sound effects that seem to have been pulled directly from the Overwatch assets, as well as a somewhat recognisable UI system.

I guess the selling point of Heroes of Warfare is that it is mobile, thus allowing fans of Overwatch to get their fix whilst out and about. Either way, 4399 have found themselves at the wrong end of legal drama, as Blizzard and Netease argue that the game is clear copyright infringement.

Now you guys ‘n’ gals enjoy this Heroes of Warfare footage and decide for yourselves. I’m off to play a relaxing game of Cuphaed Adventure.

Blizzard sues Heroes of Warfare developer [PC Watch]