Tetris-Like Game Quinn Removed After Legal Threats

July 10th, 2006 at 3:00 PM - Games by Brad Cook

The Tetris-like game Quinn has been removed from the Web site hosting it after The Tetris Company, which owns the rights to the original puzzle game, served a cease-and-desist notice to co-creators Chris Wells and Simon Haertel.

On the Web site, Mr. Wells wrote: "While both Simon and I feel that Quinn does not violate any trademark or copyright law international or otherwise, we have decided to cease distribution while we explore our position and where we can go from here. This is not the first time The Tetris Company has attacked the little guy and it probably wonit be the last. In order to defend Quinn, a lot of time and money would have to be spent and The Tetris Company knows when they send these letters out that the people they are attacking probably cannot afford these expenses."

According to Mr. Wells and sources he linked to, there are no legal precedents for The Tetris Companyis allegations because it has never gone to court against the creator of a Tetris-like game. The company is claiming copyright infringement, but ideas and concepts canit be protected by copyright under U.S. law. Tetrisi gameplay can be patented, but The Tetris Company does not claim to hold a patent. It claims to have a copyright on the "look and feel" of the game.

Thanks to Inside Mac Games for the heads-up.

The game also includes an online player-versus-player component