Famed game designer David Jaffe and publisher Sony Computer Entertainment America have been named in a suit alleging both parties for infringing on Olympiad, a film pitch that plaintiffs Jonathon Bissoon-Dath and Jennifer Barrette-Herzog sent over to Sony in 2002.

Bissoon-Dath and Barrette-Herzog claim that God of War lifted story elements straight from Olympiad without explicit permission. The alleged similarities within both works are listed in the court filing and can be found below:

* Plaintiff’s works tell the original story of how a champion saves Athens from destruction by the invading Spartan army that has been sent by Ares… [GoW]… is the story of how a champion chosen by Zeus and Athens saves Athen from destruction by an invading army sent by Ares…
* In plaintiff’s original work and God of War, the Champion’s family is hacked to death in a one-room building in a small peaceful village. In both stories the Champion feels partially responsible even though he is not really to blame…
* In exchange for Kratos’ pledge, Ares gives him… the Blades of Chaos… two massive, glowing, sword-like blades fastened to chains fused to Kratos’s wrists… These Blade of Chaos are taken directly from a scene in Bissoon-Dath’s work… “As Zeus strides forward… his hands MORPH into two massive swords that glow like light sabers…”
* …Owen must cross the Bottomless Valley over a long, sagging suspension bridge, shown on Barrette-Herzog’s map… in God of War Kratos must cross the Bottomless Chasm on a long, sagging suspension bridge…

In response, Jaffe has labeled the plaintiffs’ claims as “inaccurate, incomplete, abstracted and/or misleading.” Indeed, it looks like the similarities are more coincidental than anything. I honestly don’t think they have much of a case here, but we’ll see.

Sony, Designer David Jaffe Sued for Alleged God of War Copyright Infringement [GP]

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