Nexon's The First Descendant Under Fire for Allegedly Using Destiny 2 Icons

Nexon, a major player in the gaming industry, came under scrutiny recently when it was discovered that several icons in their game, The First Descendant, bore a striking resemblance to icons in Destiny 2. These similarities were not mere coincidences, as some icons were identical copies while others had minimal modifications. This raised immediate concerns about whether Nexon had stolen assets from Bungie, the developer of Destiny 2, without any repercussions.

However, an explanation quickly emerged, suggesting that both Destiny 2 and The First Descendant had sourced their icons from Iconduck, a website that offers free-to-use icons. At first glance, this appeared to be a plausible explanation, but it led to a more perplexing question: Why would a major studio like Bungie resort to using free artwork? Destiny 2, after all, is one of the biggest shooters in the gaming industry.

Further investigation revealed a startling revelation about Iconduck. While the website claims to host a vast collection of “free open-source icons and illustrations,” many of these icons appear to be stolen from other companies or games. The Destiny icons collection, for instance, included 204 icons labeled as open-source under a Creative Commons license, featuring everything from the Destiny logo to faction logos and weapon icons.

Iconduck also offered various Pokémon icons for both personal and commercial purposes, a clear violation of copyright and permissions. It became evident that the website was distributing copyrighted material without the necessary approvals from the original creators.

The usage of these unauthorized icons raised questions about Nexon’s due diligence. How did they not recognize the Destiny icons? Why did their legal team not thoroughly vet the artwork before incorporating it into The First Descendant? It is particularly puzzling considering Nexon’s resources and ability to create their own icons.

This incident serves as a reminder to developers that not everything found on the internet is trustworthy or legal. Even when relying on free and open-source resources, it is imperative to ensure that the materials are properly licensed and authorized.

In response to these allegations, contact has been made with Bungie, Nexon, and Iconduck for comments, and further updates will be provided as they become available.

Additional facts:
1. Nexon is a South Korean video game publisher and developer that was founded in 1994.
2. The First Descendant is an online multiplayer role-playing game (RPG) developed by Nexon.
3. Destiny 2 is a popular first-person shooter game developed by Bungie and published by Activision.
4. The controversy surrounding the alleged use of Destiny 2 icons in The First Descendant gained attention on social media platforms and gaming forums.
5. Both Destiny 2 and The First Descendant are available on multiple gaming platforms, including PC, PlayStation, and Xbox.

Key questions and answers:
1. How did Nexon not recognize the Destiny icons?
It is possible that the art assets were obtained or sourced by a team or individual who was not familiar with Destiny 2 or its icons. Additionally, it could be a case of oversight or a lack of proper verification processes.

2. Why did Nexon’s legal team not thoroughly vet the artwork before incorporating it into The First Descendant?
It is unclear why the legal team did not catch the similarities or properly vet the artwork. This could be due to human error, time constraints, or lack of thorough review processes.

Key challenges or controversies:
1. Copyright infringement: The alleged use of icons without proper permission raises legal and ethical concerns. Both Bungie and the original creators of the icons may choose to take legal action if their intellectual property rights were violated.

Advantages and disadvantages:
Advantages:
– Using pre-made icons can save time and resources for game developers.
– Free and open-source resources, when properly licensed, can provide a wide range of assets for developers to use in their projects.

Disadvantages:
– Relying on free resources without proper verification can lead to legal issues and damage to a game’s reputation.
– Incorporating stolen or unauthorized artwork can compromise the originality and integrity of a game.