INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightEpic Games/PUBGImage caption
Players can customise characters in Fortnite (left) and PUBG (right)
The makers of Fortnite, one of the world's most popular video games, have been accused of copying rival title PlayerUnknown's
Battlegrounds (PUBG).The studio behind PUBG has asked a court in South Korea to determine whether Epic Games copied its intellectual
property.Fortnite and PUBG have both attracted millions of gamers with their huge "last player standing" online battles.Epic Games has not
yet commented on the lawsuit.PUBG was first released in March 2017
It was inspired by the Japanese thriller film Battle Royale, in which a group of students is forced to fight to the death by the
government.In PUBG, up to 100 players parachute on to an island, search for weapons and kill one another until only one player
remains.Fortnite was first released in July 2017 but its Battle Royale mode was not added until September 2017.Image copyrightEpic
GamesImage caption
Fortnite has more cartoon-like graphics
The game also sees up to 100 players land on
an island, search for weapons and kill one another until one player is left standing
However, Fortnite additionally lets players gather wood, metal and bricks to build defences
Both games have proved hugely popular
In February, Epic Games said Fortnite had broken the world record with 3.4 million people playing at once
The previous record of 3.3 million simultaneous players was set by PUBG.However, analysts suggest the popularity of PUBG has waned since
January, while Fortnite continues to attract more players.PUBG confirmed it had applied for an injunction against Epic Games Korea in
The company is accused of copying PUBG's user interface and game items.Image copyrightPUBGImage caption
PUBG was
released in March 2017
"We filed the suit to protect our copyright," the company told the Korea Times.Behind the scenes, the
two companies have an existing business relationship as PUBG is built on the Unreal gaming engine, which was developed by Epic
While Fortnite is free to download, players can buy cosmetic skins for weapons and characters
Analysts suggest the game generates more than $200m a month
