Nintendo eShop has once again become the target of criticism due to yet another obvious “clone” title attempting to exploit the popularity of well-known gaming franchises. This time, the game in question is Dead Gears – Space of War, which is set to arrive on Nintendo Switch on May 29.
The very name of the game clearly indicates what the creators are aiming for. Dead Gears – Space of War is obviously trying to evoke the popular series Gears of War and Dead Space, and Nintendo Life notes that the game “didn't even try to hide its inspiration.” The logo, font, and promotional materials are particularly under fire for their striking resemblance to well-known AAA shooters.
According to the description on the eShop, players can expect sci-fi action where, as Darius Vex, they try to survive through combat, stealth, and energy management. Equipment upgrades, energy shields, and futuristic weapons are mentioned, but initial reactions on social media and gaming portals are mostly negative.
This is not the first time Nintendo eShop has faced issues with such titles. Over the past few years, several “shovelware” games have sparked controversy for copying well-known franchises. The most notable example was The Last Hope: Dead Zone Survival, a title that openly resembled The Last of Us, after which the game was removed from the eShop due to numerous criticisms and potential legal issues.
Nintendo has been receiving criticism for years regarding the lack of quality control on the eShop, where alongside legitimate indie projects, cheap clones of popular games often appear, designed solely to attract customer attention with similar names and visuals.
