LudumData

Softpedia distributing my games without me

[raw] LD17MiniLD 21. May 2010 · 01:33 UTC · 28 days after compo start by snowyowl · 0

Earlier today, I googled my game Jump Pirate (hoping somewhat optimistically that had been reviewed as some other entries were) and I found a page for it on Softpedia with 56 downloads. This surprised me, as I had never before heard of Softpedia and I certainly hadn’t submitted anything to them. Yet there it was, under my name no less.

Further investigation showed that no less than 18 games I had placed on the YoYo Games website had been promoted on Softpedia, all without my knowledge or consent. I’m not sure how many other LD participants are concerned, but dock’s Turtle Ferry was also available for download.

Some of you may consider this a good thing – as you are right to, since Softpedia is a popular website and your game will be downloaded more if they feature it. I personally consider that they are benefiting from my work without my consent. I don’t mind YoYo Games advertising on my game’s page, since they maintain the tools I use to create games and the forums I use to discuss them, but anyone else is a no-no.

(Personally, I am on shaky ground with some of my earlier games, since I included a license agreement that specifically granted the player the right to distribute the game. Now that that clause has actually been invoked, I’m considering removing it. My own stupid fault though.)

Anyway, what do you think about this whole tangled issue? And are your games available anywhere without your consent?

Comments

21. May 2010 · 02:46 UTC
Esp. considering it was listed under your name, someone probably thought they were doing you a favor and helping your games get exposure. Softpedia is a Romanian site so it might be pointless to send a DCMA take-down request, but they still might take down your games if you send them an email explaining that you’re the developer and didn’t upload them yourself regardless of what the attached license says.
21. May 2010 · 10:41 UTC
Yeah, I noticed this same thing a couple of months ago, except that my game is not attributed to me. I’m not at all worried, since this compo is so open anyhow. While I do hope that Softpedia honors software licenses, I think that it cannot do so automatically, since however they get new software is either automated or user-driven. I expect that they’d comply with removal requests though. They are popular enough. Anyhow, like the LD wiki says, you only worked for 48 hours on the game. It’s not much of a loss even if someone pirates and pillages your work.
21. May 2010 · 15:29 UTC
It happens. I wouldn’t waste time worrying about it unless someone is selling it without your consent. Softpedia is notorious for this.
21. May 2010 · 17:33 UTC
My game from LD17 is there too. Well, it’s no big deal, as people have said it’s just a 48 hours game and they are not selling it but it’s surprising.
31eee384
21. May 2010 · 20:19 UTC
ArcadeTrack stole/took one of my games. They must have got it in an automated Kongregate crawl, because it’s no good. I have no idea why someone would go through the trouble to copy it by hand. (Another reason I think it was automated was that they gave me credit as the author, but the instructions were truncated. Seems a bit odd.)
Tenoch
22. May 2010 · 06:41 UTC
Softpedia got a few of my games too, and as said by others, they usually answer emails (one of my game had the wrong requirements, and they corrected it within a few days).
22. May 2010 · 08:32 UTC
They’ve got some of my games too. Sent me an email whenever they uploaded a new one as well.
22. May 2010 · 11:04 UTC
I have two games on there, one that I did for a past LD and a Tetris clone I wrote a while back.
22. May 2010 · 11:28 UTC
Softpedia posted my LD15 game on their page. I got a e-mail from them.

I don’t mind at all as long as it’s correctly credited and they follow the provided license.
27. May 2010 · 19:40 UTC
They put up my LD game and sent me an email to tell me so. I just asked them to make a few corrections and they did. When I make free games I’m happy to have them reach as wide an audience as possible. I think it’s counter productive to be over protective about stuff like this, let it get out there. Let people find it and play it.
Stefan Fintea - Softpedia
28. May 2010 · 06:34 UTC
Hello,
19. Nov 2010 · 13:48 UTC
My game’s tool has been published by them too, but they haven’t send any email to let me know yet. It’s ok because this is just a free tool and they’re helping to promo it anyway. The problem is that my tool was listed with its developer name is Google lol, not my name! I asked my self what’s going on?? I’ve contacted them and still waiting for reply. Anyone got the same problem?