NetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail Developer of Plagiarism

Key Takeaways

  • NetEase accused HoYoverse of plagiarism over Sunday’s trailer in Honkai: Star Rail Version 2.7.
  • Fans have noticed the trailer’s similarities to CG Story videos for NetEase’s MMORPG Onmyoji.
  • HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact was previously accused of plagiarism for similarities with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

As a long-time fan of both Honkai: Star Rail and Onmyoji, I must admit that I was initially thrilled to see Sunday’s trailer for the former. However, the recent allegations of plagiarism have left me feeling a bit like a seesaw – one moment I’m enjoying the game, the next I’m questioning its creative integrity.

NetEase alleges that HoYoverse, the developer of Honkai: Star Rail, has copied elements from another work in their latest trailer released on Sunday. The character featured in this trailer has just been introduced as a playable unit in version 2.7 of Honkai: Star Rail.

Initially, characters like Sunday in Honkai: Star Rail were encountered early during the Penacony arc by players. However, despite his growing popularity, he wasn’t playable in subsequent updates. Fortunately, HoYoverse announced that Sunday would be added to the roster with Version 2.7, which is the final patch before the game transitions to Amphoreus in Version 3.0. On December 2, an official trailer for Sunday was released, and it swiftly gained attention on social media. While many players appreciated it, some noticed controversial similarities to another game. Interestingly, even Chinese developer NetEase recognized a resemblance in the content.

NetEase, the developer behind the turn-based MMORPG Onmyoji, has accused another company of copying some of its CG Story videos. In a detailed post on Weibo, Onmyoji’s official platform, NetEase emphasized the game’s unique aesthetics and the effort put into creating compelling characters and stories. They also expressed hope for fair competition in the gaming market. In response to a user’s comment under the post, NetEase stated they have submitted evidence of potential copyright infringement to the authorities. If proven, they reserve the right to take legal action. While NetEase did not explicitly name the suspected company, many users have noted similarities between HoYoverse’s Honkai: Star Rail trailer and Onmyoji’s Tsukuyomi and Jinkougyou CG Story videos.

NetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail of Plagiarism Over Sunday’s Trailer

NetEase unveiled that enthusiasts of Onmyoji can potentially obtain a complimentary Tsukuyomi skin by sharing the post, and there will be a brief free trial available for both premium units, Tsukuyomi and Jinkougyou. This move might subtly reference the alleged plagiarism allegations against Honkai: Star Rail. On various social platforms, viewers have observed that the initial moments of the recent trailer seem to mirror Tsukuyomi’s CG Story video, while two other frames appear similar to Jinkougyou’s. It’s important to note that this isn’t a unique incident for a HoYoverse title, as Genshin Impact has previously been accused of copyright infringement due to its resemblance to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

NetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail Developer of PlagiarismNetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail Developer of PlagiarismNetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail Developer of PlagiarismNetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail Developer of PlagiarismNetEase Accuses Honkai: Star Rail Developer of Plagiarism

Back in 2024, I found myself in the hot seat along with NetEase, just like HoYoverse is now. Earlier that November, some of our top execs were let go due to investigations into money laundering allegations. However, even amidst the heat, we’ve been pushing forward, focusing on our future projects such as Marvel Rivals and Project Mugen.

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2024-12-05 23:13