A storm is brewing within the Fortnite Creative scene…
The internet never ceases to provide people with solid entertainment. In today's news, popular Fortnite creator, SypherPK, has called out a few map makers for exploiting the Creative map system. The big one called The Pit, has been getting other mapmaker's maps taken down, claiming copyright on a name that he does not even own.
And it looks like SypherPK has had enough.
SypherPK calls out map creator for falsely copyright-striking other Pit maps
To understand to the full extent what exactly is going on, you first need to know what The Pit is. Coming from many other different games, The Pit is a classic name for a game mode that allows competitors to play against each other in a sandbox-style free-for-all.
So basically, the name The Pit has been around for quite some time now. So where exactly is the issue here?
Well, throughout the years, many creators have made a Pit-style map in Fortnite Creative, trying to get theirs to the top. It wasn't until recently, though, that creators with Pit-style maps started reporting that their maps were getting taken down due to copyright strikes.
Imagine spending hours on end to give gamers a fun and entertaining Fortnite map, only for it to get squashed by the big guy.
Well, some creators did some investigating.
Popular creator exposed for falsely copyright-striking others' maps
The first person to find answers was popular map creator, Leoxy. Just three days ago, Leoxy took to Twitter saying: "7 days before payout my biggest map I've spent weeks working on constantly updating has been taken down with no explanation. No email, no DM, no warning just disabled."
Obviously, this posed a serious problem. How are map makers supposed to continue with Fortnite Creative if they are having maps disabled without any warning or reason? Well, it wasn't until a few days later that Leoxy found a reason... one he, and many others, did not approve of.
"I've got an email and yeah it was Geerzy who striked my map," said Leoxy on Twitter. "Even though he 'has' trademark on the name 'The Pit' and not 'Pit'. Sadly this is how the big creators work in this field."
Popular creator Geerzy laid claim that he owned the name, The Pit, preventing anyone from making maps using it. The only problem was that Leoxy's map was just called Pit.
SypherPK took this as a time to step in.
Should a Fortnite map be the only one of its kind?
Immediately sticking up for Leoxy, SypherPK tagged Fortnite on Twitter hoping to get some answers.
"Yo @FNCreate you guys just letting one of your top map makers abuse copyright?" said SypherPK on Twitter. "No one owns the word 'Pit'."
It wasn't until long after that the creator, Geerzy, who had been falsely copyright-striking many others, responded.
"Maybe ask a lawyer about the difference between copyright and trademark?" said Geerzy on Twitter.
Directly after, SypherPK provided screenshots of Geerzy claiming that his map was his version of The Pit, further proving that no one actually owns the name.
Geerzy obviously did not have much to say against this: "Sounds like you still haven’t spoken to a lawyer."
And that is when SypherPK decided to let it all out with the Tweet below.
Hopefully, the situation gets resolved as soon as possible, and we see map creators get the payouts they deserve.
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