Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) said it sued Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) for allegedly infringing its copyright-protected Facebook game "The Sims Social" with Zynga's new game "The Ville." Zynga, though, quickly shot back and said it would defend itself from the suit.

EA claims the rival videogame maker willfully copied and misappropriated elements of its Sims game, which launched in August 2011. The Ville, which was rolled out in June, allows users to create avatars and build homes for them, similar elements to The Sims franchise.

"The infringement of The Sims Social was unmistakable," claimed Lucy Bradshaw, general manager of EA's Maxis label. "The similarities go well beyond any superficial resemblance. Zynga's design choices, animations, visual arrangements and character motions and actions have been directly lifted from The Sims Social."

Zynga General Counsel Reggie Davis said in a statement to Dow Jones Newswires that "The Ville" game was a continuation in its Ville-game franchise, dating back to YoVille and continuing with the CityVille and CastleVille games.