Pokemon World online and Heromon. Are these games illegal to play?

[wynn]

http://www.pokemon-world-online.net/
Pokemon world online is a game based of Pokemon and it is lots of copyrighted images with permission. They are also trying to make some money off it in order to pay for the servers to host the game as they sell Pokemon memberships and ask for donations. They claim that it is not illegal to play that game because their servers are hosted from Switzerland which does not recognize international copyright law. The operaters though say that they could still have trouble because of using infringing materials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TWQK639aV8
Heromon is the game which they want to make to avert Nintendo's copyright. I think that they plan to try to make money through this game too. This game somewhat less Pokemon-like sprites, but it was seems also to be cutting it way too close if not already infringing. At the present time this game is not out. Now keep note of what I said. They supposedly are using servers in Switzerland and that it does not recognize international copyright law. What do you think about both of these games and are they illegal to play?

[tiernan]

Yes. It is illegal. I normally play pokemon in the dreamworld