Vietnamese man arrested for earning nearly $100,000 by cloning popular online game

Authorities in Vietnam's Quảng Ninh province have arrested Nguyễn Mạnh Cần, a 27-year-old man accused of infringing copyright by creating and profiting from a "clone" of the popular online game Ninja School Online. The investigation revealed that Cần allegedly hired individuals to develop a near-identical game, which he then distributed online.

Cần reportedly named his unauthorized game "Trường Học Ninja School" and released it for free on the internet, allowing players to access it via computers and mobile devices. Once a substantial player base was established, he began generating revenue by selling virtual currency, game accounts, and in-game items to interested users.

According to the police, Cần's operation generated illicit profits exceeding 2.487 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $98,000 USD) by July 2026. The investigation found that Cần copied and distributed the game without permission from the original rights holder, Gomobi Company, and failed to obtain the necessary licenses for operating and distributing the game online.

As a result, the Quảng Ninh Provincial Police's Criminal Investigation Agency has initiated legal proceedings, charging Cần with copyright and related rights infringement under Article 225 of the Penal Code. The police are continuing their investigation to identify and prosecute any other individuals involved in the scheme.

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Hiring people to create a 'clone' game of Ninja School Online and then selling accounts and virtual currency to players, Nguyễn Mạnh Cần profited nearly 2.5 billion VND.