S’pore games creator says artwork in City Square Mall carnival game lifted from its game ‘Kopi King’
A Singapore board games company has accused a local arcade operator of “ripping off” its “most celebrated Singaporean game”.
In a Facebook post on Monday (28 July), Origame said that the artwork and brand identity of its game “Kopi King” had been “lifted wholesale” for an SG60 carnival game at City Square Mall.
Source: Origame on Facebook
Font, style & colours of City Square Mall carnival game resemble Kopi King
Origame, known for its card games and board games with local themes, said Kopi King was developed over months with an artist.
However, many features of the carnival game called “Kopitam Hero” bear a resemblance to Kopi King, including the font, colours, renderings of iconic local drinks and even the “Sejak 1965″ tagline.
Source: Origame on Facebook
It also called out a local arcade operator, saying:
Seeing a local games company The Arcade People ripping off another one without any acknowledgement whatsoever leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Origame charged that the company could have just “asked nicely” as they are “always open for collaborations”.
Kopi King is an ode to local hawker culture
Speaking with MS News on Tuesday (29 July), Origame said that Kopi King was an ode to local hawker and kopi culture. It also remains a bestseller in Singapore.
Source: Origame on Facebook
“During conceptualisation, it was a conscious decision to seek out and work with other Singaporean illustrators to bring these two games [Kopi King and Chope!] to life,” said a spokesperson from the company.
“So we couldn’t wrap our heads around why another Singaporean company would directly lift and use/misuse our artwork, and then smack an SG60 label on it.”
The Arcade People apologises for lapse
In a statement posted on Facebook on Tuesday, The Arcade People said it was “deeply sorry” for the incident.
It explained that the elements used had been obtained from Origame’s website and were “wrongly used” without verification and securing approval.
The company noted that this was a “lapse in due diligence”, adding:
We take full and unequivocal responsibility for this failure.
It apologised to Origame and the wider community, professing regret for the harm it has caused.
In response to queries from MS News, The Arcade People said on the same day that it had come to a “mutual understanding” and “positive resolution” with Origame.
“We really value and support the local arts and culture scene, and we’re genuinely sorry for the oversight,” wrote a spokesperson for the company.
“This was never something we wanted to happen, and we’re taking it seriously to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
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Bras Basah food court takes down mural used without permission, apologises to artist
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Featured image adapted from Origame on Facebook.
