The South Korean company CHANGEdeveloper of the popular smartphone game “GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE“, issued a public apology on September 24 due to the accusations that some of his characters were too similar to the works of illustrator Neco. The controversy arose after it was pointed out that two characters in the game resembled creations by the artist, who is known for his distinctive visual style.

According to a statement from SHIFT UP, the company received these complaints and, after a series of discussions with Neco, decided to discontinue the use of one of the characters, an NPC. However, the other character involved, called “Scarlet: Black Shadow”, will continue to be used with the illustrator’s permission. The company thanked Neco for its understanding and promised to prevent this type of problem from happening again in the future.

The controversy originated in December 2023, when the characters “Scarlet: Black Shadow” and the aforementioned NPC were implemented. Since its release, fans have pointed out that the designs of both characters were too similar to Neco's works, generating growing concern on social media. SHIFT UP acknowledged the mistakes and publicly apologized to Neco and his followers.

In turn, the illustrator also spoke out on the matter. In a December 2023 post, Neco mentioned that NIKKE management sent him a direct message admitting the similarities and apologizing. However, in January 2024, Neco decided to seek legal help to resolve the conflict, considering that a personal solution would be difficult.

Finally, after receiving a formal apology from SHIFT UP and reaching an agreement, Neco informed his followers that he considered the matter resolved and that he would not make any further statements on the matter. Furthermore, he warned that he will take legal action if he receives offensive comments from third parties related to this case.

The resolution of the conflict generated mixed opinions among players and fans of “GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE”:

• «It's good to know that it was resolved peacefully, although we don't know the details of the negotiations.».
• «They acknowledged the similarity in design and the playable character remains intact. Only the NPC was removed.».
• «It must have cost a fortune to keep Scarlet. If we suddenly couldn't use this character, the scandal would have been huge.».
• «The NPC had many similarities, but if Scarlet had been rejected, no one would be able to wear that tight-fitting black sword outfit in the future.».
• «The fact that Neco allowed the use of the playable character speaks well of how SHIFT UP handled the situation.».
• «Nowadays, it is difficult to create original characters with so many years of content in video games, anime and manga. The important thing is that they reached an agreement».
• «Someone on the design team probably overlooked the similarities, but it's hard to monitor everyone's morale on a large project.».
• «The situation was clear, Scarlet looked too much like a neco work. The illustrator was very generous».
• «They say they will work to prevent this from happening again, but they have not explained why it happened.».
• «It is inevitable that some characters will look alike today. So many creations make it difficult not to fall into accidental similarities.».
• «This is the first time I have seen a dispute of this type that does not end in a fight, but rather in a peaceful resolution with permission to use».

This incident highlights the challenges the video game industry faces in creating original characters. and the complexities of respecting copyright in such a prolific medium as today. Despite the challenges, SHIFT UP managed to avoid a major controversy thanks to the cooperation of Neco and his team.

Source: 4Gamer