Game Developer Accuses Real-Life Weapons Manufacturer of Stealing Its Gun Design... Twice

[Kane99]

Uh oh, looks like someone may be in a little trouble. According to game developer Ward B, they have accused gun maker Kalashnikov of copying one of their designs for a fictional gun in their upcoming game Oceanic. They've been releasing design ideas to their twitter since 2019. Ward B actually spoke with Kalashnikov about possibly designing a gun for them based on said design. They were supposedly going to produce airsoft guns and they'd in return rebrand the gun in their game as a Kalashnikov shotgun. They even told Ward B they'd send some three guns out to them. Everything seemed to be going good, but they stopped talking to them and never sent contracts. Instead, Kalashnikov stole the idea and produced their own gun, with differences, but there seems to be enough copied over that Ward B noticed. I wonder if they can do anything about it. 

Kalashnikov are denying any wrongdoing. 

This is the gun that Ward B mocked up: 

And this is the gun that Kalashnikov produced:

You can view more images in the article below. 

https://www.ign.com/articles/stolen-gun-kalashnikov-oceanic-mp-155-ultima-ward-b

[skyfire]

I think this gun was found in many other games too like serious sam etc. I think unless they did copyright or design trademark I don't think it would stand a good case. 

[killamch89]

Unless you trademark the design, then it's free real estate especially when that company has way more money than you do. This is disgusting if true but companies should be smarter about protecting their assets via trademarks and patents.

[skyfire]

Initially the copyright doesn't require the filing as maker becomes the copyright owner. But this law is the one that manipulated unlike trademark where the business intention comes out. It takes time from copyright to trademark to patent phase for many designers and many video game based designs and objects don't get patent but can quality for trademark.