closed (opens in new tab) is a survival game in development with a fun premise: you’re stuck in an ‘endless furniture store’. A staff of mutants is trying to kill you. The only way to survive is to explore the corridors and use the furniture. Craft weapons and fortifications. If this description makes you think of IKEA, the famous Swedish purveyor of do-it-yourself furniture and the oddly popular meatballs, you’re not alone: in fact, creator Jacob Shaw reddit (opens in new tab)some sites and streamers report on the project.
Unfortunately for Shaw, the project caught the attention of the real Ikea, whose legal representatives sent him a letter demanding he change the game and threatening lawsuits if he didn’t.
“Our client has learned that you are developing a video game. The Store is Closed has used indicia associated with the famous IKEA store without our client’s approval. ,” said Shaw in a letter shared with PC Gamer.
“In your game, the stores have blue and yellow signs with Scandinavian names on them, blue box-like buildings, yellow striped shirts identical to those worn by IKEA staff, and gray paths on the floor. , furniture that looks like IKEA furniture, and product signage that looks like IKEA signs.
The letter also mentions multiple reports about the project “having a clear relationship with IKEA,” as well as the many comments received from readers. You can’t go wrong with the IKEA-inspired touches seen in his announcement trailer, such as his Styr sign in big yellow on the blue building and the “Swedish Meat” poster on the cafeteria wall.
The good news for Shaw is that IKEA’s lawyers aren’t asking the project to be stopped, just that it be changed so that it doesn’t look like or suggest an IKEA store. “Especially since we don’t plan to release the game until 2024, we could easily make changes to the game to avoid these issues,” the letter said.
The bad news is that he’s not entirely clear on how to do it. For example, I don’t know what to do with “furniture that looks like IKEA furniture”.
“We bought a generic furniture asset pack to make this game,” says Shaw. Kotaku (opens in new tab)“I don’t know what that means.”
Speaking to PC Gamer, Shaw said he would comply “because he doesn’t want to be sued,” but reiterated his uncertainty about exactly what would satisfy IKEA. It looks like IKEA furniture, but it’s not particularly specific. ”
His immediate solution is to “basically get rid of anything blue or yellow and add flashy reds everywhere,” he said. Changing all of the will probably remove the path [from the floor].”
Regarding furniture, I heard that some of the furniture packs I bought have Nordic names, so I’m going to start by removing them.
The show shared a few images giving a quick look at the potential new look.
But even though he was able to change the game to IKEA’s satisfaction, the legal threat left him with another worry. he said. “What if a target sues me for using red?”
Despite this surprising legal headache, Shaw is moving forward with development on The Store is Closed, though plans for the ongoing final week are (and very successful) kickstarter campaign (opens in new tab) Changed: Instead of a new game update to prepare for alpha testing, he’s working on a visual overhaul instead. He also said it shouldn’t make a “major difference” to the overall development schedule, which he said would “just add more stress.”
