Dear Mr. Young:

I came across your article entitled Copyrights and Copycats, and, as an avid gamer currently going through law school, my interest was piqued. I agree wholeheartedly regarding the distinction you make between the hypothetical Steamtown and Digcraft games (and as an aside, I would seriously consider playing the non-existent Steamtown game). Visual styles should not carry a lot of weight (although it should certainly be a factor to consider) when comparing two video games for the purposes of an infringement claim. Gameplay mechanics and the “feel” of a game should be far more important than claiming two games are the same because both worlds are made up of blocks. However, I disagree with your feelings towards litigation in claims like these.