Getting one of the world’s richest persons’ attention is no easy task but relentless effort coupled with some bit of quirk has yielded results for a video game creator.
Layabout Vladimirov, an independent game developer, tweeted SpaceX founder Musk more than 150 times over the past year, asking permission to use the company’s name and logos. On January 13, he finally got a response.
“Dear Elon, I’m a game dev. And I am making a game about colonizing Mars with you and SpaceX in it. If you think it’s cool, all I need is the “Go ahead” to use your name and Logos. I will post this every day for a year or until I get a Yes or a No! 154 / 365,” read his final message – when Musk finally responded.
In response Elon Musk tweeted,”You can steal our name/logos & we probably won’t sue you”
The game, called “Mars Is Flat,” features both Musk and SpaceX. Vladimirov describes it as a “highly technical Mars survival simulator.”
Its website shows that Vladimirov made a SpaceX-style costume for the game in late December, before getting permission from Musk.
Players will eventually have to pay to access the game, Vladimirov said, but 80% of the profits will go to SpaceX.
“That way the game will not only serve the important purpose of entertaining people and sparking their interest in Mars, but it will actually help @elonmusk and SpaceX achieve it,” he tweeted.
While the game is great, Musk has had a topsy-turvy history with copyright, and has often publicly critiqued it.
Back in 2018, Musk got into trouble for ‘stealing’ an image of a farting unicorn an artist, Tom Edwards had drawn as an ironic tribute to electric cars.
