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Marvel CHAMPIONS

nextnametakennextnametaken Posts: 2,212 Arc User
in Off Topic
Marvels new Champions series announced


I wonder, does Jack Emmert own the Champions IP or does Cryptic?
Did he leave Cryptic to be free to make a game for Marvel using changes he'll make to DCUO as the tech demo?

Comments

  • sistersiliconsistersilicon Posts: 1,687 Arc User
    According to everything I've read, Cryptic Studios officially owns the Champions IP, not Jack Emmert personally.

    After a quick run through the USPTO's 1990s trademark search site, "Champions Online" belongs to Cryptic Studios, but "Champions" alone belongs to Heroic Publishing, which is who Marvel went through to get the name. And with the history between the two companies, I'm sure Marvel sent a lovely collection of photos of lawyers flipping middle fingers at the camera to Cryptic's legal department.

    (Also, Cryptic trademarked "Leviathan" in May 2015, then abandoned it March 2016. Subtitle or code name for the canceled Jurassic World game?)
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  • beezeezebeezeeze Posts: 927 Arc User
    edited July 2016
    Interesting!

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champions_(comics)


    edit: ew seems link is broken... copy & paste entire url above^ into browser

  • bulgarexbulgarex Posts: 2,310 Arc User
    edited July 2016
    That's an interesting development.

    For decades, Marvel Comics couldn't use the Champions name because it was copyrighted by Hero Games, publishers of the Champions PnP RPG; not Heroic Publishing. The latter did adapt characters who appeared in early Champions products, but weren't owned by Hero Games, into a Champions comic mini-series in the 1980s, with Hero Games' permission. When that turned into an independent comic company, they re-branded those characters as "League of Champions" because Hero Games still held the name.

    It sounds like HG's copyright either lapsed, or got mislaid in the IP sale to Cryptic, with Heroic Publishing taking it.
  • jonsillsjonsills Posts: 6,318 Arc User
    There's also the fact that Marvel had previously published a Champions title for quite some time; they may have retained the rights in re comic-book titles, while not in fact holding the rights for games of any sort. Copyright can become downright, well, cryptic at times.​​
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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    Neat, maybe we'll get some new players who think CO is related to that series.
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  • sistersiliconsistersilicon Posts: 1,687 Arc User
    spinnytop said:

    Neat, maybe we'll get some new players who think CO is related to that series.

    I think the people who stick around would be vastly outnumbered by the people who'd quickly figure out this isn't a Marvel game and bugger off.
    Choose your enemies carefully, because they will define you / Make them interesting, because in some ways they will mind you
    They're not there in the beginning, but when your story ends / Gonna last with you longer than your friends
  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    bulgarex said:

    For decades, Marvel Comics couldn't use the Champions name because it was copyrighted by Hero Games, publishers of the Champions PnP RPG; not Heroic Publishing.

    Actually, Heroic Publications has had the Champions (comic book) rights since the late 80s. Heroic Publications and Hero Games had a parting of ways sometime before Hero System 4th edition was published, and they split the rights at that time (this is why the signature characters in 4th edition are so different from previous editions).
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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    sistersilicon said:


    I think the people who stick around would be vastly outnumbered by the people who'd quickly figure out this isn't a Marvel game and bugger off.

    I'm fine with that. Not like we'd be losing players.
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  • flyingfinnflyingfinn Posts: 8,408 Arc User
    So, does Marvel own 'Totally Awesome'?
    There goes hope for new Bill and Ted movie.....
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