NetEase Games on Crosshairs

Drama

28 August 2025 17:17

NetEase’s hero shooter FragPunk has drawn heavy scrutiny from the gaming community, particularly fans of Counter-Strike, over its striking resemblance to Valve’s iconic map, de_inferno. Named Toyland, the map has ignited debate over originality, homage, and potential intellectual property infringement.

Released as part of a recent update, Toyland mirrors the layout of Inferno so closely that players quickly recognized the familiar structure—complete with replicated chokepoints, boost spots, box placements, and even the same in-game callouts. Despite minor changes, such as a few altered passageways that tweak the map’s pacing and flow, the design remains a near one-to-one match of the original Counter-Strike battleground.

What’s raising eyebrows is the fact that Toyland is not a fan-made project or mod, but an official map published by NetEase and available by default in FragPunk, a title that combines hero-based gameplay with simplified tactical shooting mechanics reminiscent of VALORANT and Overwatch.

The map’s release has reignited the conversation around creative borrowing in game design, with accusations of copying gaining momentum online. One of the loudest voices in the conversation, content creator Gabe Follower, didn’t hold back. “I hope Valve considers taking legal action, cause the fact that they’re taking down community’s 100% free passion projects but allowing a huge Chinese publisher to steal their map layout is insane,” he posted on social media.

NetEase has not yet responded publicly to the backlash or addressed the similarities directly. However, the community remains divided. While some criticize the developer for what they see as blatant imitation, others defend the move as a form of respectful homage.

“I think this is fine as an homage. In CS:GO’s workshop, there were fan-made recreations of Call of Duty maps,” one user commented, pointing out a long-standing tradition in the gaming world of fan-inspired reinterpretations.

More:Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot Summoned for Trial

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NetEase Games on Crosshairs

Drama

28 August 2025 17:17

Tags: NetEase Games

NetEase’s hero shooter FragPunk has drawn heavy scrutiny from the gaming community, particularly fans of Counter-Strike, over its striking resemblance to Valve’s iconic map, de_inferno. Named Toyland, the map has ignited debate over originality, homage, and potential intellectual property infringement.

Released as part of a recent update, Toyland mirrors the layout of Inferno so closely that players quickly recognized the familiar structure—complete with replicated chokepoints, boost spots, box placements, and even the same in-game callouts. Despite minor changes, such as a few altered passageways that tweak the map’s pacing and flow, the design remains a near one-to-one match of the original Counter-Strike battleground.

What’s raising eyebrows is the fact that Toyland is not a fan-made project or mod, but an official map published by NetEase and available by default in FragPunk, a title that combines hero-based gameplay with simplified tactical shooting mechanics reminiscent of VALORANT and Overwatch.

The map’s release has reignited the conversation around creative borrowing in game design, with accusations of copying gaining momentum online. One of the loudest voices in the conversation, content creator Gabe Follower, didn’t hold back. “I hope Valve considers taking legal action, cause the fact that they’re taking down community’s 100% free passion projects but allowing a huge Chinese publisher to steal their map layout is insane,” he posted on social media.

NetEase has not yet responded publicly to the backlash or addressed the similarities directly. However, the community remains divided. While some criticize the developer for what they see as blatant imitation, others defend the move as a form of respectful homage.

“I think this is fine as an homage. In CS:GO’s workshop, there were fan-made recreations of Call of Duty maps,” one user commented, pointing out a long-standing tradition in the gaming world of fan-inspired reinterpretations.

More:Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot Summoned for Trial

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