Games Workshop: Involved in Row
- Thread starter Malochai
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The whole thing is absolutely absurd if you ask me. Their trademark can't exist to Space Marine as it's been in the lexicon since the early 30s. Correct me if I am wrong, but I am convinced I have seen Games Workshop use the term 'warp drive' in various bits of fluff and I didn't see Gene Roddenberry jumping up and down. That is a case they a destined to lose. Unfortunately, the implications of failed (and ridiculous), legal battles is potentially higher miniature prices for the rest of us. It is after all the hobbyist that puts money in Games Workshops purse.
Well, there are a number of news articles I came across whilst I should have been working in IT (oops 
)
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/02/trademark-bully-thwarted-spots-space-marine-back-online
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spots-Space-Marine-Defense-ebook/dp/B006MGJYOE
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/07/games_workshop_in_spurious_space_marines_claim/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21409490
)https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/02/trademark-bully-thwarted-spots-space-marine-back-online
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spots-Space-Marine-Defense-ebook/dp/B006MGJYOE
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/07/games_workshop_in_spurious_space_marines_claim/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21409490
I remember the French business Raging Heroes discontinuing their Lamassu head for a while because a Games Workshop representative or lawyer or something had contacted them saying it infringed on a trademark or something similar ... Absolutely ridiculous to claim they could trademark/etc a mythical creature in miniature form, and even more so if it was actually granted!!
Wrong, Games Workshop does have the trademark to space marine. Whether it existed before GW or not, it is a registered trademark. Also, Games Workshop usually call it a warp engine, not a warp drive.
From a legal standpoint, games workshop has a pretty damn strong case. Common sense does not apply in a court of law.
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lol. I love threads where people bash Corp.'s for protecting their copy rights. many lol's here.
Note this is not a slam. I just find it amusing.
and on that note, I don't see how GW was allowed a TM on "space marine"
Note this is not a slam. I just find it amusing.
and on that note, I don't see how GW was allowed a TM on "space marine"
Sanai said:
It seems to me that you're thinking purely in legal terms. However, the law is imperfect and thus 'right' and 'wrong' go beyond simply the word of the letter. It isn't just the trademark authorities in the wrong here, GW has shown itself to be a bully by picking such a small target to go after. And also, the people at Amazon who took down Spots are tainted by association.
So someone steals someone elses property and the one who got robbed is a bully for protecting their stuff? Its not about size, its about tge fact that if they dont act it sets a precedent- lets say a big target rips off Imotek the stormlord, and Gw sues- but games workshop, someone else did it and you let it go, thats just unfair.
Also, there is nothing morally wrong with protecting your trademark.
I think everyone needs to get off the "we hate games workshop" bandwagon. Its really a bit silly when people are always looking for excuses to have a go at GW and always assume the worst of them in every situation.
There are enough REAL evil corporations out there to worry about without painting a games company with that brush. (take IKEA for example, there must be some ulterior motive going on there!)
Also, there is nothing morally wrong with protecting your trademark.
I think everyone needs to get off the "we hate games workshop" bandwagon. Its really a bit silly when people are always looking for excuses to have a go at GW and always assume the worst of them in every situation.
There are enough REAL evil corporations out there to worry about without painting a games company with that brush. (take IKEA for example, there must be some ulterior motive going on there!)
Analogies to theft aren't really appropriate here. Copyright/trademark infringement does not cause the loss or destruction of the original article. That's just a minor quibble though.
I don't see any legitimate reason why GW should defend such a morally dubious trademark that they should never have had in the first place, especially as GW would have to attempt to hold large swathes of the creative industries hostage by means of litigation. And there's also something wrong with Amazon taking down Spots at a mere word from GW, without any kind of review into the validity of GW's claims. Such a thing reverses the premise of 'innocent until proven guilty', a fundamental right in most modern nations.
PS: What's up with IKEA?
I don't see any legitimate reason why GW should defend such a morally dubious trademark that they should never have had in the first place, especially as GW would have to attempt to hold large swathes of the creative industries hostage by means of litigation. And there's also something wrong with Amazon taking down Spots at a mere word from GW, without any kind of review into the validity of GW's claims. Such a thing reverses the premise of 'innocent until proven guilty', a fundamental right in most modern nations.
PS: What's up with IKEA?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with GW protecting their own intellectual property, the problem is that so much of what they are claiming is attributable either to other writers, ancient mythology or other organisations. Personally, I'm amazed the Hells Angels haven't sued their arses off for the winged skull on the side of boltguns. Most of the HA I've met would take great delight in litigation against a world wide company. That said, the universe idea GW have created is definitely theirs, and they have a total right to protect it. Fantasy is trickier- so much has been written and told, and so much religion and mythology exists, that it is very difficult to claim anything other than individual named characters as original. However, these they are entitled to. I don't believe GW are being bullies, but I feel that, once lawyers get involved in anything, civility and reason go for a long walk together, and take their friends common sense and and compromise with them.
I think that this is pretty shitty of GW. Can't believe they tried to get a trademark on Space Marines let alone that they actually got it. I think it's right of them to defend their trademarks if it's something they actually thought of first but this is just bad.
As for the fanboys defending their behavior and telling us to stop with the GW hating... I'll stop hating when they stop acting like complete assholes.
As for the fanboys defending their behavior and telling us to stop with the GW hating... I'll stop hating when they stop acting like complete assholes.