Hyper Front, a mobile game that was widely seen as a Valorant knockoff, has announced that it is shutting down on April 10, 2023. The game, developed by NetEase, was launched in December 2020 and offered a similar gameplay experience to Riot Games’ popular first-person shooter.
Hyper Front featured a roster of characters with unique abilities, a variety of weapons and modes, and a sci-fi setting. However, the game also drew criticism for its blatant copying of Valorant’s design, mechanics, and aesthetics.
In fact, Riot Games sued NetEase for allegedly infringing its intellectual property rights and creating a “confusingly similar” game. The former claimed that Hyper Front copied Valorant’s characters, maps, abilities, weapons, user interface, and even sound effects.
While NetEase has not officially confirmed the reason behind Hyper Front’s shutdown, many fans speculate that it is due to legal pressure from Riot Games. The company has also faced similar lawsuits in the past for copying other games such as Overwatch and PUBG.
📌【Important Announcement】
— Hyper Front (@HyperFrontEn) April 3, 2023
✨May the light of Star Energy continue to illuminate our path.
All the best,
Hyper Front Team pic.twitter.com/51gPvUJ54o
NetEase announced the shutdown of Hyper Front on its official Twitter account on April 3, 2023. The company thanked the fans for their support and apologized for the disappointment. They also said that all player account data will be deleted after the game officially shuts down.
See also: Valorant developer Riot Games reveals Pinoy agent Neon
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