NEW YORK (AP) — Electronic Arts says it has sued online game maker Zynga because its new game "The Ville" infringes its own game, "The Sims Social."
Video game publisher Electronic Arts Inc. said Friday that "The Ville" is "unmistakable" in its similarity to "The Sims Social," which launched more than a year earlier. EA says the games are "largely indistinguishable" to a casual observer.
The games are both played on Facebook. Players create characters who live, work and interact with each other in virtual neighborhoods.
In response, Zynga says that EA doesn't understand copyright principles, and that it plans to defend its rights.
The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
EA is based in Redwood City, Calif., while Zynga Inc. is based in San Francisco.
