Peak has emerged as a standout co-op game this summer, captivating audiences with its unique take on mountain climbing infused with slapstick humor and engaging gameplay. Created by developers Aggro Crab and Landfall during a game jam, the game quickly shot to success, ranking among Steam’s top five bestsellers. In its first week alone, Peak sold over a million copies, amassing over 8 million sales to date, according to Aggro Crab’s cofounder, Nick Kamen. Unfortunately, such success has also made it a target for unscrupulous creators who are now selling cheap AI-generated clones.
Kamen expressed concern over these clones, highlighting an ongoing issue in the gaming industry where successful indie titles often face imitation. Notable indie games like Super Hexagon, Ridiculous Fishing, and Wordle have all contended with similar copycat challenges, triggering developers to resort to copyright claims. Even major companies like Sony and Nintendo have stepped in to protect their intellectual property from the likes of Tencent and Palworld creators, respectively.
The rise of AI in gaming has catalyzed this cloning issue further. Developers now face AI-generated clones that require minimal coding skills to create, using services that can generate games based on simple text prompts. Reports have surfaced highlighting the influx of low-quality, AI-produced games cluttering digital storefronts, making it difficult for users to discover genuine indie offerings.
Wren Brier, the creative director at Unpacking, shared her studio’s struggle with over 80 clones since her game’s release in 2021. Many clones engage in outright copyright infringement, repurposing assets or even the game’s title. Brier emphasized that the majority of these copies are disingenuous, designed to scam players using misleading marketing images and low-effort content.
Although Peak has found significant commercial success, Kamen noted that the proliferation of clones undermines the value of original content. He views these AI clones as cheap imitations that not only affect individual game sales but also risk flooding storefronts with substandard options, making it harder for players to discover authentic indie creations.
Legally pursuing clones presents a formidable challenge, as copyright protections do not extend universally to game elements such as genre or mechanics. Kamen and Brier both lament the difficulties developers face in addressing these imitations, which thrive on platforms with inconsistent enforcement of intellectual property laws. They advocate for social pressure as a potential route to combat this issue, relying on players to support original game creators rather than opt for the "slop" versions of popular titles.
To combat the wave of clones, Aggro Crab and Landfall are choosing to speak out instead of pursuing litigation. Recently, they publicly decried a specific clone on social media, expressing a preference for piracy over engaging with low-quality copies. Kamen emphasized the importance of human artistry in gaming, lamenting the dullness of AI-generated products devoid of personal perspectives.
In summary, the success of Peak not only showcases the potential for indie games to thrive but also underscores the significant challenges they face from rampant cloning facilitated by advancements in AI technology. As the gaming industry navigate this landscape, the value of authentic creative work remains paramount amidst the rise of automation.
