Players have leveled plagiarism accusations against a new horror title for its striking resemblance to Resident Evil, while simultaneously blasting Sony for giving the project a platform.
The indie horror title Ebola Village has found itself at the center of a brewing controversy. Shortly after the official PlayStation YouTube channel debuted a trailer for the game’s upcoming PS4 and PS5 launch, the comments section erupted in backlash. Disgruntled viewers were quick to accuse Sony of endorsing what many described as a blatant “pirated knockoff” of Resident Evil Village.
The outcry under the video was immediate and scathing. Critics dismissed the project as a “low-budget clone” that had no business being showcased on a major platform like PlayStation. Social media was flooded with mockery, with users making jokes such as “What’s next—Covid City?” or the classic “We have Resident Evil at home” meme. Beyond the humor, a segment of the audience expressed concern that such listings tarnish the brand’s reputation, suggesting that the official channel is increasingly being used to promote derivative, low-quality content.
In response to the wave of criticism, the trailer was promptly pulled from YouTube. However, Ebola Village remains listed on the PlayStation Store, with its release date still set for January 23. It appears that the social media firestorm has done little to derail the launch, though it has certainly succeeded in bringing the game into the public spotlight.
Ebola Village has been available on Steam since May, where, despite the recent controversy, it maintains a respectable 80% positive rating from the player community.
Source: iXBT.games