In early December, Bigwinboard received a formal legal threat from legal representatives acting on behalf of Warner Bros., relating to the online slot Tim & Larry – a title developed by game provider Croco Gaming.
The claim alleged that the game infringed on Warner Bros.’ Tom & Jerry intellectual property. While Bigwinboard had no involvement in the creation, development, or distribution of the game, the legal communication was directed at Bigwinboard as a reviewing platform rather than the studio behind the title.
Despite widespread industry coverage across numerous affiliate and review sites, it appears the notice was directed solely at Bigwinboard, potentially reflecting the platform’s position within the market.
Bigwinboard chose to respond proportionally. The playable demo was removed from the site, a decision made pragmatically given the circumstances and the uncertainty surrounding the game’s legal status. However, the editorial review was not taken down.
As a media platform, Bigwinboard maintains that it has the right to review and discuss any commercially released game. Reviews are editorial commentary, not distribution, and removing published coverage under legal pressure would undermine the role of independent industry reporting.
The subsequent correspondence surrounding the matter was professional throughout, though at times carried a slightly comical tone, given that the dispute focused on Bigwinboard, an independent reviewing platform, rather than the actual creator of the game.
In early February, Tim & Larry was taken offline entirely by Croco Gaming, disabling the demo and pulling the game from circulation. While no official explanation has been provided, this may have followed legal pressure or been taken as a precautionary measure.
No further comment has been provided by the parties involved.
