Lego Dev Thinks Disney's Stealing Blocks From Traveller's Tales

[Tom Goldman]

Lego Dev Thinks Disney's Stealing Blocks From Traveller's Tales

A Traveller's Tales designer accuses Disney of copy-and-pasting the Lego titles to create Disney Universe.

Disney recently unveiled a new title in the works called Disney Universe, a multiplayer co-op platformer where players wear different costumes of Disney characters to perform unique abilities. Traveller's Tales design director Jon Burton is less than pleased, calling Disney Universe a ripoff of the studio's Lego games.

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Traveller's Tales is well known for an entire line of Lego titles such as LittleBigPlanet [http://www.amazon.com/Lego-Batman-Xbox-360/dp/B000ZKBJY6/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1306542815&sr=8-3] to create [Disney Universe]. Best of luck to them."

He later tweeted that Disney Universe's drop-in, drop-out co-op, adaptive difficulty, different abilities depending on costume worn, and the ability to play through several films was "Lego in 2006." He adds: "I'm not saying we invented the stuff, but it's an identical formula."

It seems a little salty. Disney Universe is definitely sharing ideas with the Lego titles and LittleBigPlanet, but is that such a bad thing? Combining the gameplay of the two series and adding Disney themes and characters from movies such as Tron, Alice in Wonderland, and Monsters Inc. could make for a fun title. From early previews, Disney Universe appears to add to the basic experience of the games Burton names with enemies that seem more devious and by allowing players to level up their costumes, to name a couple of examples.

After taking some heat, Burton tweeted: "Obviously, I'm just messing around about Disney Universe. But you've got to agree, it's definitely Sackboy in the lead role, right?" First of all, he's never even played Disney Universe, which is part of the problem, but you'd think a developer would understand that this is what games do. They take inspiration from the past and move concepts forward or combine them. If Disney Universe does this, I don't think it should be criticized, unless it does it badly. Copy or not, for now I'm still looking forward to solving puzzles and smacking down my friends as little Tron guy.

Source: Develop [http://twitter.com/#!/JonTt]

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[Kopikatsu]

...I thought the chest sequence was kind of cute. "I have a key!" "Yay!" "KEEEEEEY!" *attacks the padlock*

Anyway, I don't think that 'borrowing ideas from' constitutes 'You ripped us off! LAWSUIT!' (Hasn't happened yet, but it will. DEAR GOD IT WILL) considering that...really, most things are just rehashed...other things. God, I'm too tired to articulate my thoughts right now.

VERLYWHO, it seems kind of cute/amusing. I'll wait for more information about Disney Universe to come out to decide if it really is 'ripping them off', but I kind of doubt it so far.

Edit: I'm siding with Burton on this.

 

[emeraldrafael]

I just lookat it as this way.

If Travellers tales were in disney's shoes, and Disney's in TR's would it really be playing out any different?

 

[raankh]

"I'm not saying we invented the stuff, but it's an identical formula."

So it's okay for his company to rip stuff off, but not if Disney does it. Maybe he should be apologizing to Nintendo, rather than ripping on Disney.

Not that I like any of those companies-- trying to rip kids off is a bad thing in my book.

 

[Nouw]

It does look a little ripped off but as long as Disney acknowledges this in a mature way it's fine.

And Disney, I swear if you even think of adding Marvel characters...

 

[PunkRex]

It does look a little ripped off but as long as Disney acknowledges this in a mature way it's fine.

And Disney, I swear if you even think of adding Marvel characters...

Mini Deadpool would be fun on the bun, exactly how he would help in puzzle solving is a different matter. Can you kill a puzzle? I doubt Disney would go for the Splatter House method of puzzle gaming.

Anywhoo, this guy really needs to think about what he says before "tweeting it" or what ever you tech heads call it. Especially if your a "professional".

 

[Magnalian]

Sorry Mr. Burton, but I'm really not seeing the Lego in this.

 

[Chase Yojimbo]

If we look at it this way, EVERYTHING rips off something. Whether we like it or not, no matter what, everything that someone else does, someone has done something that shares semblance to it. It is innevitable. Burton is merely blowing steam because he thinks he can, but didn't they (TT) rip off someones idea in 'some' way as well? I think this is something that just needs to be ignored, because so long as Disney follows their own programming, and doesn't copy-paste any of the work TT did, Burton has no right to ***** at them for ANY reason.

 

[Saelune]

Its a video game. Ofcourse it stole its idea from something. As long as it adds something to the mix and is fun though, its ok.

 

[sheic99]

"I'm not saying we invented the stuff, but it's an identical formula."

So it's okay for his company to rip stuff off, but not if Disney does it. Maybe he should be apologizing to Nintendo, rather than ripping on Disney.

Not that I like any of those companies-- trying to rip kids off is a bad thing in my book.

As someone who's played the one of the Lego games, they do not rip kids off. There is an insane amount of content in the games that can only be gotten through 2 play through at minimum.

 

[SemiHumanTarget]

is that such a bad thing? Well, given Disney's history of aggressively suing anyone who steps on their toes, yes. yes, it is a bad thing. Not to mention this isn't the first time Disney has "borrowed" concepts from the work of other artists. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but hypocrisy is never cool no matter how you cut it.

 

[samsonguy920]

Somebody's got a case of the paranoids. Seriously, there isn't anything for Mr Burton to really stand on here. Especially when you consider all the different cliches, contrivances, and memes that all the Lego games borrowed from other media not even related to the movies they are based on.

 

[Tiswas]

I see the Little Big Planet but not the Lego.

Don't Disney like...own Pirates of the Caribbean? The same game which has just gotten a Lego adaptation? (Not to mention last year there was Lego Prince of Persia sets along with Lego Cars 2 which is now hitting shelves.

It's kinda like 'Yeah Disney. We'll use your liscense to make our game. But if you should make a somewhat similar game to us...you will pay'

 

[standokan]

I really don't like Disney, so I'm siding with Lego which I really do like.

 

[Podunk]

Regardless of any corporate espionage, those blue people with their 'extreme' faces are seriously creepy. Do not want.


CAPTCHA: stantry behavior. I couldn't have put it better myself.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I don't see the LEGO but I definitely see the Little Big Planet.

 

[drunkenduck]

I guess I see the lego similarities in that wearing a different suit gives you differnet powers, but isn't that more Dragon quest/ Final fantasy/ Mario/ Zelda/ loads of games ever.

Anyway in lego doesn't changing the character (not suit) might give you a gun, or a whip or whatever? Bit of a stretch to say that this is a rip off.