A recent controversy has erupted around the highly popular online game, 'Steal a Brainrot', which has captured the attention of millions of players across platforms like Roblox and Fortnite. The core of this issue revolves around the removal of a beloved, AI-generated character, Tung Tung Tung Sahur, from the game. This decision stems from a copyright dispute, as the original creator of the character, an Indonesian TikTok user known as Noxa, alleges that the game developers are profiting significantly from their creation without due compensation or licensing agreements. The character's unexpected disappearance has not only sparked widespread dismay among the game's dedicated community, particularly its younger demographic, but also brought to the forefront the intricate and often ambiguous legal challenges associated with the ownership and commercial use of content generated by artificial intelligence.

'Steal a Brainrot' has rapidly ascended to internet sensation status, ingeniously blending contemporary Generation Alpha internet memes with a gameplay style tailored for the fast-paced, reaction-driven culture of YouTube. In this game, participants are tasked with collecting peculiar 'brainrots,' which are essentially monster characters inspired by niche internet jokes. These creatures often feature a surreal amalgamation of everyday animals and inanimate human objects, reminiscent of a bizarre fusion between the 'Skibidi Toilet' phenomenon and the 'Pokémon' franchise. Each brainrot possesses a unique value that appreciates over time, and true to the game's title, players have the ability to \"steal\" these creatures from one another. While the game attracts a diverse age range, including young adults who grew up with Roblox, its substantial popularity among children is a key factor in the current uproar. Young players often develop strong emotional attachments to their brainrots, leading to significant distress when these characters are lost, despite this being a fundamental aspect of the game's design. This dynamic has unfortunately also led to some older players intentionally targeting and \"trolling\" younger ones, creating a microcosm of human behavior under capitalism, now a global gaming phenomenon.

Among the myriad of collectible brainrots in the game, Tung Tung Tung Sahur held a special place until its recent removal. This character, a wooden drum with an unsettlingly blank stare and a baseball bat, is part of a broader Indonesian brainrot collection. The world of brainrots is rich with cultural nuances, with popular examples often originating from Italian compilations, but individual countries boasting their own distinctive bestiaries. While regional brainrots vary, some occasionally break into the mainstream, becoming recognizable figures within 'Steal a Brainrot'. The immense popularity of characters like Tung Tung Tung Sahur is evident; a quick online search reveals numerous videos with millions of views, including one specific video that has garnered an astonishing 65 million views, ranking it as one of the most popular music videos globally on YouTube. Although Tung Tung Tung Sahur was initially conceived with the aid of artificial intelligence, and subsequent content creators largely rely on AI for related material, the foundational concept originated from human ingenuity. Specifically, Noxa, an Indonesian TikTok creator, is credited as the mastermind behind Tung Tung and dozens of other brainrot characters, whose cultural impact is so profound that the Italian brainrot wiki hails Noxa as a 'modern genius.'

The dispute escalated when Noxa reportedly made contact with Sammy, one of 'Steal a Brainrot''s creators, facilitated by an agency named Mememtum Lab. According to the agency, Sammy promptly engaged legal counsel and, in early September, preemptively withdrew Tung Tung Tung Sahur from the game. Mememtum Lab clarified that they had not requested the character's removal; instead, it appears Noxa was seeking to establish a licensing agreement for the continued use of their creation. A statement released by the company on TikTok highlighted the core grievance: \"'Steal a Brainrot' is generating millions in revenue from Noxa's work, into which we invest significant time and resources. We have always been open to discussion, and Noxa would be pleased for players to continue interacting with Tung Sahur. This situation is unfair to our partners, both small and large studios, who have legitimately acquired licenses from us.\"

This situation brings to light a critical legal question: can an AI-generated image truly be owned? In many jurisdictions, copyright protection typically applies to creations resulting from human intellectual effort. When AI is involved in content generation, a compelling argument can be made that the technology, rather than the human user—even if the user provides the initial prompts—is the primary source of creativity. The precise interpretation of copyright guidelines can vary significantly across different countries. While the individuals involved in this particular dispute may reside in various parts of the world, the companies at the center of the controversy are based in the United States. Do Big Studios, the entity behind 'Steal a Brainrot', operates out of Florida, Roblox's headquarters are located in California, and Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, is situated in North Carolina.

In the United States, legal frameworks are still struggling to keep pace with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. A report published by the U.S. copyright office in January 2025 stipulated that \"the outputs of generative AI can be protected by copyright only where a human author has determined sufficient expressive elements.\" Several recent legal cases have seen attempts to copyright AI-generated content fail, yet the overall legal precedent remains in a state of flux. Further complicating matters is the fact that 'Steal a Brainrot' has been licensed for use on platforms beyond Roblox, including Fortnite. The intricacies of determining who is entitled to profit from a game that heavily relies on user-generated content—which itself might be AI-generated—present a formidable legal challenge.

Irrespective of where the legal battle over Tung Tung Tung Sahur ultimately lands, players of 'Steal a Brainrot' are openly grieving the character's absence from the game. TikTok is awash with videos of distraught, anxious, and tearful fans expressing their disbelief at the disappearance of such a central figure from the brainrot universe. Tributes and commemorative videos for Tung Tung are accumulating millions of views, and numerous posts feature memes depicting Tung Tung with angelic wings. Concurrently, Noxa, the original creator of the meme, has become the target of angry users in the comments sections. In one video that garnered 119 million views, a top comment harshly stated, \"You did this because of your greedy ahh,\" accompanied by an image of Martin Luther King Jr. crying. Beyond their deep affection for Tung Tung, a significant portion of this outcry appears to be fueled by the misconception that the ongoing legal dispute might lead to the complete deletion of 'Steal a Brainrot.'

This situation underscores the emotional investment players have in the game, particularly younger audiences. As one YouTuber with 14 million subscribers shared on X, \"My cousin who’s in middle school said there were kids crying about this btw.\" This YouTuber plans to host a live memorial for the character. Even hours before the scheduled event, hundreds of people were already queued, waiting to participate in the Tung Tung vigil. While one might be tempted to declare 'RIP Tung Tung 2025-2025,' it's worth noting that anyone can still generate images of this wooden monstrosity if they so desire, highlighting the unique nature of AI-generated content and its dissemination.