‘Poppy Playtime’ Files Lawsuit Against Google for Not Removing Fake Apps Scamming Users 

• Poppy Playtime’s creators decided to take legal action regarding Google Play Store's failure to remove scam apps impersonating the original game.
• These illegal knockoffs claimed to offer then-upcoming chapters of the game before their official release and are still available in the Store.
• The copyright-infringing apps reportedly ask users for payment but do not deliver any gaming experience.

The U.S.-based indie studio that created the globally popular horror game Poppy Playtime has taken legal action against Google for allegedly failing to remove unauthorized “scam” apps from the Google Play Store. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in California.

According to the legal complaint, Mob Entertainment accuses developer Daigo Game 2020, Inc. of distributing illegal knockoff apps under titles like “Poppy Playtime: Chapter 3” and “Poppy Playtime: Chapter 4.” 

These apps were allegedly marketed using copyrighted assets, including Poppy Playtime’s name, logo, characters, and visuals. Notably, these “scam” apps were published before the official release of Chapters 3 and 4, further misleading thousands of users into believing they were legitimate products. 

However, the apps reportedly fail to deliver any gaming experience and instead prompt users to pay exorbitant fees ranging from $30 to $95 for the “Guide wuggy playtime mod.” The lawsuit claims that users who make these payments receive nothing but a link to a non-functional webpage.

The legal filing doesn't stop at the apps’ developers. Mob Entertainment lists Google as a co-defendant, accusing the tech giant of failing to swiftly address repeated Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedown requests. 

Despite filing removal requests through Google’s web-based takedown form and the dedicated email address [email protected], Mob Entertainment alleges the infringing apps remain available on the Play Store.

The complaint further claims that Google benefits financially from these unauthorized transactions by earning 15% to 30% commission on app sales, raising questions about the platform’s incentives to address such issues promptly.

Poppy Playtime has become a cultural phenomenon within the gaming world, with over 40 million players worldwide and north of 1 billion views on YouTube. Plans for a live-action movie based on the franchise are expected to amplify its appeal further.