ABOUT ORIGINAL TRACE
About Original Trace
Let every act of support find the original creator.
Original Trace is an independent documentation project focused on original games and copying. We bring together original works, related games, public timelines, and specific comparisons so players can understand where a work came from, see what was copied, and find ways to support its original creators.
We pay particular attention to the use of AI to rapidly copy games, release copies ahead of the originals, or obscure who created the original work. Where copying and plagiarism have been verified, we want to leave clear, traceable records that give creators credit for their work.
Why we do this
Before a game reaches its players, there may have been designs rebuilt again and again, stubborn programming problems, and countless late nights known only to its creator.
Developers share demonstrations, release demos, and post development updates to connect their work with players. When that public material is used to make copies, beat them to release, or mislead players about a game's origins, creators must take time away from development to explain where their own work came from.
We do not want fear of copying to make creators hide their work or stop sharing it. Through ongoing documentation, Original Trace aims to make original sources easier to find and help players' support reach the people who created them.
Why defending a game can be so difficult
A game combines many forms of creative work, each requiring careful analysis
Games contain code, visuals, music, text, and narrative, as well as rules, functions, and ways of interacting. Copyright generally protects original expression; abstract ideas and methods of operation do not receive the same protection. Examining a copying dispute therefore requires identifying exactly what was used and how that material is protected.
Rewriting the code alone does not automatically rule out copying of artwork, text, or other protected expression. Some conduct may also raise trademark or unfair competition issues, depending on the specific facts.
The difficulty lies in identifying the similarities within a complete game, item by item, and relating them to the applicable legal rules.
Games cross borders; enforcement still passes through different laws and procedures
International frameworks such as the Berne Convention provide a foundation for copyright protection across borders. Yet countries and regions may differ in how they classify games, define the scope of protection, and resolve particular disputes.
When creators, publishers, and platforms are in different countries, enforcement can involve practical questions: which court has jurisdiction, which law applies, how documents are served abroad, and how a judgment is recognized and enforced elsewhere. Some proceedings may also require translated materials. Every step takes time to understand and pursue.
Finding a copy is only the beginning of documenting a claim
Enforcement requires explaining what the original work is, which material was used, and where it appears. For example, Valve's copyright notice process asks for the location of the reported content, information about the original work, and declarations from the rights holder or an authorized representative. Original links, dates, and specific comparisons therefore have practical value.
A complaint may not end the matter. Under the U.S. DMCA process, for example, the other party can submit a counter-notice, content may be restored, and the dispute may proceed to court. Removal, continued availability, or reinstatement alone cannot settle whether infringement occurred.
This is why we value sources and records: readers should be able to return to the evidence behind each specific finding.
Time spent enforcing rights can be time taken away from development
Litigation can be lengthy and expensive, and a result may arrive too late to keep up with the spread of a copy. A WIPO-commissioned study of video game infringement discusses the cost, time, and enforcement difficulties involved in game cloning disputes. For independent teams with limited resources, deciding whether to pursue a claim, and how far to take it, can itself be difficult.
Even a favorable outcome may not restore missed exposure, a disrupted release schedule, or the energy diverted from making the game.
We believe support for original work can begin earlier: check sources carefully, preserve useful public records, and help people find the original creators in time.
What Original Trace aims to do
We aim to turn information scattered across store pages, development logs, social platforms, and statements from those involved into accessible records.
Each case should explain, as fully as possible:
- What the original work is, who created it, and where to support them.
- Which specific elements correspond, were copied, or were changed between the works.
- Which public sources support the timeline and what each date represents.
- What has been verified, what is a party's statement, and where evidence is still missing.
- Whether there are new responses, platform actions, or court outcomes, and why a record was updated.
Where sufficient evidence supports a finding of copying or plagiarism, we will state the specific issue clearly. Where something cannot yet be confirmed, we will explain what evidence is missing. AI involvement will be recorded separately from whether copying occurred.
This site organizes public information and compares content; legal liability for infringement is determined through the relevant legal processes. We hope these records help players make informed choices and preserve creators' voices for longer.
One maintainer, an open invitation to complete the record
This website is currently researched and updated independently by one maintainer.
You are welcome to share your experience. Please include original links, dates, screenshots, or specific comparisons wherever possible, so we can verify and document what happened. Original creators, publishers of related works, and readers can all contribute material or request corrections.
Records will change as new evidence emerges. Being responsible with facts also means carefully correcting errors we discover.
About the maintainer
Hi, I’m MoonKnight, a player who cares about independent games, and the founder and maintainer of Original Trace.
I care about the journey a game takes from an idea to its players, and about the people who bring it to life. When players fall in love with a game, I want them to know who created it and be able to send their support directly to those people.
I started this website to leave clearer records of original work: to make scattered leads easier to find, ensure evidence-backed concerns about copying are taken seriously, and keep original creators’ names from getting lost as their work spreads.
I currently maintain the site on my own, gathering leads, checking public sources, and updating records. You are welcome to contribute material, point out mistakes, or introduce me to works that have not yet been documented here.
I hope these records help more people’s hard work be seen—and remembered.
Buy me a coffee
If these records have helped you, you can buy MoonKnight a coffee to support the website and ongoing research.
Support options are being prepared. Thank you for being here.
Support is optional. All records remain free, and contributions do not influence case selection, verification, or corrections.
Support the original creators
If these records introduce you to a game, please use the creator's official links to follow development, add it to your wishlist, or buy it. When sharing information, include the original game's name and a link to its source.
We hope that when creators publish their next demonstration, their first thought is still the joy of sharing their work with players.
May the people who create the worlds we love be seen—and known by their own names.
Find original games and support their creators