Summary
- On Wednesday, April 2, Light & Wonder announced the discontinuation of Jewel of the Dragon.
- The company has been extremely careful to avoid unintentionally misusing intellectual property.
- Light & Wonder has discontinued at least one additional game in development due to these concerns.
Light & Wonder executives have been extremely careful to avoid any further missteps involving the unintentional or deliberate copying of a competitor's product. This issue began with accusations that the Dragon Train games had misappropriated intellectual property from Aristocrat and its products.
Second game targeted by Aristocrat is now benched by Light & Wonder
In February 2024, Aristocrat challenged the Dragon Train series with a complaint and successfully secured an injunction against Light & Wonder, Casino House Group News reports, although some issues remain unresolved. The injunction mandates that Light & Wonder remove all Dragon Train games from North America. However, the company was granted some reprieve after prevailing in a similar case in Australia, where it can continue offering Dragon Train games. In response to these legal disputes, Light & Wonder has proactively decided to withdraw another title, Jewel of the Dragon, from the North American market. This decision follows an amended complaint from Aristocrat filed in mid-March, which included Jewel of the Dragon as another allegedly copied product. Light & Wonder confirmed this decision on Wednesday, April 2. The company also plans to address the amended complaint by Aristocrat, submitted on March 14, with a response by April 11, as stated in a press release from Light & Wonder.
Does Jewel of the Dragon point to a deeper issue at Light & Wonder?
Emma Charles, the creator behind the Dragon Train series, parted ways with the company in 2024. It remains uncertain whether she was involved in the development of Jewel of the Dragon. The game, Jewel of the Dragon, was reportedly modeled after Aristocrat's Autumn Moon. However, Light & Wonder decided not to contest this claim, at least for the time being. According to the company, the withdrawal of Jewel of the Dragon is expected to have minimal impact since only 150 units were installed and it generated just $10 million in revenue. Light & Wonder insists that these incidents are isolated and do not reflect the company's commitment to creating original and custom games built on unique concepts and mathematical frameworks. While the company had to discontinue at least one confirmed project, Light & Wonder remains confident that the remainder of their portfolio upholds originality standards. (
