Developer Bungie is embroiled in yet another legal controversy, this time accused of plagiarism by American writer Kelsey Martineau. The author filed a lawsuit alleging that Destiny 2's Red War campaign bears similarities to a work published between 2013 and 2014. Martineau claims that several narrative elements and characters were copied directly from his writing, published under the pseudonym Caspar Cole.
- Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero Breaks All-Time Player Record on Steam
- Are otakus losing interest in anime?
Martineau points out in the lawsuit that his work features a faction called the "Red Legion" and narrates events similar to those in the Destiny 2 campaign. He accuses Bungie of using his ideas without permission, pointing to the character Yinnerah, who is said to be similar to Red War's main villain, Dominus Ghaul. The Red War campaign was released as an early part of Destiny 2, but is currently unavailable, as Bungie has "archived" it to make room for more recent content.
The story behind the plagiarism accusation
Kelsey Martineau's allegations highlight an important discussion about copyright in the world of digital games. The author claims that both the characters and plots of his work and the Red War campaign share clear similarities. In both stories, rebel groups led by rejected mentors fight against oppressive forces and aim to invade Earth.
According to the lawsuit, Martineau claims that Bungie "willfully and intentionally" infringed her copyright. According to Martineau, what happened with Red War goes beyond coincidence, pointing to a direct copy of fundamental elements of its story.
Previous allegations against Bungie
This isn't the first time Bungie has faced accusations of plagiarism. The company recently faced accusations of copying the design of a toy inspired by its game. In that case, Bungie acknowledged the error and resolved the matter amicably, compensating the complainant financially.
Destiny 2 lawsuit appears to be more complex. Martineau seeks, in addition to damages, an accounting of all profits earned by Bungie through the Red War campaign and any associated products or services that may infringe its copyright. However, the developer, for its part, has not yet officially commented on the lawsuit.
