Court Rejects Bungie’s Bid to Dismiss Destiny 2 Red War Lawsuit: YouTube Videos and Wiki Pages Not Accepted as Evidence

The court has decided that Bungie must continue with a copyright lawsuit involving Destiny 2. A federal judge ruled that Bungie’s request to dismiss the case was denied, saying that submitting YouTube videos and fan-made wiki pages didn’t provide enough evidence to address the copyright claims.

The lawsuit, brought by writer Matthew Kelsey Martineau, claims Bungie copied elements from his unpublished sci-fi work for the Destiny 2 campaigns, "Red War" and "Curse of Osiris." Martineau alleges specific similarities, including the "Red Legion" faction and plot themes. His work was published online several years before Destiny 2’s release in 2017.

In its motion to dismiss, Bungie argued that Martineau’s claims were vague and unfounded. They presented hours of gameplay footage and fan summaries to prove their case, claiming there were no substantial similarities. However, the judge rejected this approach, emphasizing that the chosen evidence could not be used for legal comparison because it wasn’t part of Martineau’s original complaint.

Judge Susie Morgan noted that actual gameplay content from Destiny 2 is no longer accessible due to the game’s changes over time, making it impossible for the court to perform a direct comparison necessary for copyright cases. Bungie stated that their original code for the old campaigns is not operational with the current game structure.

The ruling highlights how challenging copyright cases can be, particularly for creative works. It raises interesting questions about how fan content and third-party interpretations fit into these cases. The social media buzz around this lawsuit has sparked debate among fans, with many discussing the implications of copyright in gaming and storytelling.

This case serves as a reminder of the fine line between inspiration and copyright infringement in the gaming industry. As this lawsuit progresses, it will be intriguing to see how it shapes future content creation and copyright discussions.

For further details, you can access the full court document here.

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