Poppy Playtime Dev Takes Legal Action Against Google Over Counterfeit Scam Versions of Its Popular Games

Poppy Playtime Creators Sue Google Over "Scam" Games
In a shocking move, Mob Entertainment, the studio behind the jumpscare-heavy survival horror game Poppy Playtime, is taking legal action against Google. The studio claims that the tech giant has allowed a multitude of "scam" games to flood its Play Store, ripping off their intellectual property.
Google’s Failure to Enforce Their Own Rules
According to the lawsuit, which was filed earlier this week, Google has failed to remove several unauthorized games from their platform. These knockoff titles, developed by an entity known as Daigo, are still available for download at the time of writing. Mob Entertainment alleges that these games are capitalizing on the Poppy Playtime brand by using similar titles and misleading descriptions, making it difficult for fans to distinguish between the original game and the illegitimate versions.
The Problem with Episodic Games
The issue is particularly frustrating for Poppy Playtime’s creators because the game is designed as an episodic series. By allowing these fake games to use the "Poppy Playtime" name and imply that they are new episodes, Google is essentially enabling other developers to profit from the Poppy Playtime brand by exploiting fans’ eagerness for new content.
Screenshots from Poppy Playtime 2 Used Illegally
Mob Entertainment is also upset about the unauthorized use of screenshots from Poppy Playtime 2, which are being presented as though they are gameplay footage from the fake games. This not only harms the studio’s reputation but also swindles fans out of money by making them believe they are purchasing new content.
Lawsuit Highlights Google’s Failure to Act
The lawsuit accuses Google of failing to take action despite repeated takedown requests and direct communication from Mob Entertainment. Although the fake games were initially removed from the Play Store in December, they reappeared just days later, and Google has allegedly taken no further action to address the issue.
Counterfeit Games: A Serious Problem
The lawsuit claims that these knockoff games, which feature numerous grammatical errors, an unappealing color scheme, and other flaws, have "tarnished" Mob Entertainment’s reputation. The studio argues that these games can fool some users, especially children, into spending excessive amounts of money on a game that is not genuine. Moreover, Google is profiting from the scams, with the company receiving a percentage of all sales made through the unauthorized games.
A Call to Action for Google
Mob Entertainment is urging Google to take immediate action to remove the fake games from their platform and prevent further instances of intellectual property theft. As the studio asserts, "Google’s inaction has allowed Daigo and its partners to use Mob Entertainment’s intellectual property to deceive consumers and generate substantial profits for themselves."
The ball is now in Google’s court, and the outcome of this lawsuit will be closely watched by gamers and game developers alike.