When does re-imagining and borrowing become theft? - Tiny Tower versus Dream Heights

"A GoozerNation discussion of just how much copying and pasting should be permissible between different games."

[Dovahkiin]

When it's obvious and unimaginative.

[Pushagree]

When its a saints row game.

[specialguest]

Zynga is evil
Quoted from a former employee:

“I don’t [expletive] want innovation,” the ex-employee recalls Pincus saying. “You’re not smarter than your competitor. Just copy what they do and do it until you get their numbers.”

Further evidence:

FarmVille is similar almost to the pixel to a rival game called Farm Town that debuted months earlier, and Mafia Wars is lifted wholesale from Mob Wars… a pilfering which ended in a lawsuit.