FortressCraft Rips Minecraft on Xbox Indie Games

By Robert Hathorne | 23 February 2011 | 23 Comments

As Mojang ports Minecraft onto portable platforms, a wholly unrelated group is cashing in on the block-moving train with FortressCraft on Xbox Live Indie Games.

What amounts to a blatant knock-off of Minecraft, FortressCraft is impressive nonetheless. Releasing this spring for 80MS points ($1), the game’s first chapter, “The Creation”, will feature world building and 31 player multiplayer. Subsequent chapters are also in the works, also for $1, and there are even plans to port FortressCraft to Windows, Mac, Linux and browsers.

At this point, you’re probably wondering how in the hell these guys are going to avoid a lawsuit from Mojang. Well, they answer that in the FAQ:

Q: Doesn’t this infringe Mojang’s copyright?
A: No it doesn’t infringe copyright. All the graphics, code, branding and trademarks are our own.

I’ll feel dirty doing it, but there’s nothing that’s going to stop me from checking this out when it releases. Of course, should Mojang ever decide to put the real deal on Xbox, they’ll surely get my money again. Until then, this looks to be the best way to get your Minecraft fix from the comfort of your couch.

23 Comments

Posted by James on 23 February 11 at 6:30pm

Even though everyone will complain, everyone will buy it. £1 for a rip-off Minecraft.
Posted by A6M4 on 23 February 11 at 7:53pm

I would be worried but, strangely the graphics on this really turn me off to it.
Posted by Ville on 23 February 11 at 8:22pm

and minecraft ripped of Infiniminer, not as badly tho, and this is just another person who wants to earn easy money, pathetic if you ask me.
Well, i will keep enjoying minecraft, the new 1.3 update is awesome
- Posted by trizzle655 on 19 February 12 at 12:37pm
  
  seach projector games on youtube. he is the creator and is not trying to make an easybuck by making fortresscraft
Posted by t3h sourcey on 23 February 11 at 9:49pm

@Ville

If this is easy money,I’m a cat without any teeth.
Do you have any idea what the guy has done,not only did he rewrite Minecraft’s Java code in XNA Framework,but also made the graphics much more complicated so the game could at least try to satisfy you console users’ graphical needs.And he’s only asking for 1 buck for that.
Posted by noobsauce on 24 February 11 at 2:44am

the guys who made this are the federation of asshole gamers i belive, i love there funney vids, but this is basicly stealling, notch should do something, this is bullshit,its not even as good as minecraft
Posted by Pixelfest on 24 February 11 at 8:05am

Oh well, it’s not like it ‘ll have a community nearly as good as minecraft.
Since it’s on xbox360 the majority of people buying it would be 11year olds.
Posted by Josh on 24 February 11 at 8:12am

@noobsauce

You realize minecraft is just a knock-off of previous games as well right? I haven’t played minecraft yet, but as it is I’ll probably wind up downloading both of ‘em. Btw minecraft’s creator also wants people to make more games like minecraft so don’t act like you know everything. And also this game hasn’t been released, so you can’t say minecraft is better yet.
Posted by roflmaolol on 24 February 11 at 8:36am

Notch is a faggot, he definitely ripped off FortressCraft.
Posted by Oxocube_91 on 24 February 11 at 10:35am

This block fettish is getting a little out of hand methinks…
Posted by Xyllian on 24 February 11 at 11:48am

@t3h sourcey

Yes, so all he has done is ported the game to run on the Xbox. That is a 100% rip-off. Minecraft took the concept of Infiminer and made it into something exceptional. That is not a rip-off, that is taking inspiration from someone elses work.

The later is completely fine, the first is not.
Posted by Minidivine on 24 February 11 at 11:48am

man fk this, IGDaily comes out and talks shit? the original game was even a f**king fake. GO F@G.
Posted by LOLCAT on 24 February 11 at 12:43pm

no F@G did not make this!!!!! keemstar picked up the guy who is making this (djarcus) and is helping him and promoting him.
Posted by dejan on 24 February 11 at 10:16pm

every1 should know this is for Xbox ok soo you all know you will buy it you will all probably buy fortress craft and sttill play minecraft so you guyz really need to stop arguing.this helps alot when your friends or you have very crappy computers and cant or too cheap to afford good comps…really guyz be mature dont be a maniac and go bazaar over something thats a good thing but also a bad thing to those noobz with no sense of direction..
Posted by HyperionFluX on 24 February 11 at 11:03pm

You can’t call this a rip-off because Minecraft itself was ripped from a game. The only similarities this has to minecraft, is the block format, and building.
Posted by lolzzzguy on 25 February 11 at 3:06am

@HyperionFluX
“the only similarities is the block format and building.”
which is the entire essence of Minecraft.
FortressCraft to Minecraft is like Everyday batteries (counterfeit) to the Eveready batteries (the old Energizer).
Posted by Kazikame on 25 February 11 at 5:13am

Two things.

1. $3. With a dollar game microsoft size requirements were smaller than what he had.

2. Constructive criticism is a great way to get the attention of people. Calling it a “blatant rip off” on both this and (less maturely) on a video blog makes me think really lowly of machinima. I think that already with how your people act. If you want our attention, post whats new in Fortresscraft. Get an interview with the guy if you have to. You would be extremely surprised at what this guy plans on doing to this game and how it will eventually differ from minecraft. Like the minecart elevators and the items that practically give you super powers, realistic water textures, better and smoother mp support, console support (not meaning xbox, meaning plug in a keyboard and mod stuff), filters, and the guy who is constantly taking suggestions via twitter and forums to make this game more unique and better. What I listed above is just what he has implimented in creative mode that he has shared with us so far ( aside from minecart elevators which is a c2 thing).

Be more mature and maybe I will actually follow Machinima. You guys can’t keep saying every little thing that comes to your mind just because you feel like it, certain things cross the line.
Posted by Nerf_24 on 25 February 11 at 9:29pm

This has to be intulectual infrginement. Mojang has to have the rit to take them to court and they should. its parasites like this that ruin the gaming induestry. stealing ideas from other companies is bad enough to make a game, but doing it THIS blantently. ridiculous.
Posted by Tacobell on 13 March 11 at 10:36pm

its easy to play minecraft on your couch all you need to do is plug your pc into a big tv
Posted by minihime on 25 December 11 at 2:57pm

See, everyone says this is going to replace minecraft. I say no. I have fortresscraft on my xbox, and honestly… I’ll play it probably only until minecraft is released for the 360. I have minecraft on my moms computer, and I LOVE it compared to this game. But considering my mom owns the computer I can’t play it as much. So my thought is, sure people may buy FortressCraft, but if you are a true Miner, you’ll still buy it when it comes out. Oh, and PS for anyone saying FortressCraft should be sued, banned, taken off completely… Minecraft let them create this game. They are even credited as an inspiration to this game. Anyways rant to the ranters over. Go mine fellow minecrafters.
Posted by Casey on 10 January 12 at 11:31am

Its not a rip off theyre just both building games its the genre and plus fortresscraft is just about building not survival like minecraft
Posted by Samson on 28 February 12 at 6:41pm

This is not good, fortess craft is worst than minecraft in an I-phone! :(
At least fortress craft is not in m y ps3 :)
Posted by I LOVE FORTRESSCRAFT on 03 April 12 at 7:07pm

Alright so everyone is saying that fortresscraft is a rip off of minecraft. lets be honest minecraft is fun but its their fault for not moving from PC to other consoles. if u ask me minecraft is a failure compared to fortresscraft. it takes more skill to develop xbox games then some games on the PC. if u dont belive me look it up. so i guess u can say that fortresscraft is a rip-off is a rip-off of legos. MINECRAFT IS A RIP OFF OF INFINIMINER, WHICH WAS RIP-OFF OF LEGOS. SO KNOW WHAT THE REAL GAME IS……… LEGOS!