Indie developer accuses Zenless Zone Zero of plagiarism
Intelligence Summary
- Michal Kamm accuses Hoyoverse’s Zenless Zone Zero of copying his game Ouros. Here are the details behind the controversy.
Indie developer accuses Zenless Zone Zero of plagiarism
Zenless Zone Zero, developed by Hoyoverse, is facing plagiarism accusations from indie game designer Michal Kamm. Kamm claims that a minigame in Zenless Zone Zero looks strikingly similar to his own game, Ouros. The allegations cast a shadow over Hoyoverse’s reputation, after the company has previously been accused of copying other developers.
What is Zenless Zone Zero?
Zenless Zone Zero is an action RPG set in a futuristic world where players take on a variety of enemies and challenges. The game uses gacha mechanics, something Hoyoverse has already found success with in titles like Genshin Impact. Its mix of action, story, and multiplayer elements has helped Zenless Zone Zero build a sizable following.
Ouros and the accusations
Ouros, released in 2024, is a puzzle game in which players manipulate a track so a moving ball can reach numbered targets. Kamm says the gameplay of Zenless Zone Zero’s minigame is confusingly close to his own creation, with similar mechanics and design elements. Kamm posted a video on Bluesky explaining the comparison in more detail.
The video lays out the similarities between the two games. Both Zenless Zone Zero and Ouros include elements such as portals that teleport the ball back to the start of the track, a button to change the ball’s direction, and a hint system that shows the intended shape of the track.
Reactions and fallout
The accusations have sparked mixed reactions on social media. Some Hoyoverse fans have been critical of Kamm, suggesting that Zenless Zone Zero’s popularity is being used at Ouros’ expense. Kamm has speculated that the gaming community may wrongly assume Ouros is the original while Zenless Zone Zero is seen as the copy.
Hoyoverse has faced plagiarism claims before. Last year, developers complained about a minigame in Genshin Impact, saying it had copied elements from their cartography game, Map Map.
Timeline
2024: Kamm releases Ouros, a puzzle game with unique gameplay elements.
2025: Zenless Zone Zero is introduced with a minigame that appears to share similar elements with Ouros.
2026-05: Michal Kamm makes his accusations public in a video on Bluesky.
Kamm says that while the attention has been driven by Zenless Zone Zero, he hopes his video will help clear up the confusion. He stresses that indie developers are often overshadowed by larger studios like Hoyoverse, which can lead to misunderstandings about original creations.
The controversy surrounding Zenless Zone Zero and the plagiarism accusations leaves an important question: how can indie developers protect their work in an era where major studios are increasingly accused of stealing ideas?
