I don't want to get too specific about this, but there's a certain Pre-1983 IP of which the company who made it has since gone bankrupt, and I tried calling all the people who could possibly own this, and either they weren't able to either me towards legal, or said that they didn't own it. I doubt this will work, but anyone know how i can do what id did with Wolfenstein back in 1992 and get the rights to release a sequel today?
>>3220302
Try to meet the guys who made the game themselves, and ask them. I think that's what id did.
Or you can change the name. Wolfenstein 3D is not the same as Castle Wolfenstein, is it?
I think you need to get the advice of a lawyer who knows his way around intellectual rights and licensing.
>>3220302
You find who has the rights and make a deal with them. There is no other way. You can you always just do it and hope no one who has the rights notices but that's risky.
>>3220302
Its over 30 years old so any patent on it or copyright is long gone and since the company that owned it is gone that copyright is not extended so you can do whatever you like with it.
>>3220872
>30 years
There's next to no way a video game has had its copyright lapse after only 30 years.
>>3220872
>over 30 years old
>copyright is long gone
highly doubt that. someone out there likely still owns the rights to those games even if they aren't the original company.
>>3220302
>that grammar
15 year old or Yurosemen detected.
I'm sure the wasteland guys were talking about a legal precedent, that you are supposed to defend trademarks, that is a "use it or lose it" kind of thing.
>>3220872
You should probably do some basic reading on copyright. At least skim Wikipedia.
>>3220950
You should probably learn the difference between trademark and copyright.
>>3220302
If the guys who made the original see a new game based loosly upon theirs do you think they'll be a bunch of Amerijews and sue you? Far more likely they'll be happy to see their old work get some attention.
>do what id did with Wolfenstein
What id did was literally just reuse a name that had been used. Wolf3D is not even in the same franchise as those Castle Wolfenstien games.
Just make the fucken game, you wuss.
They still make those games
>>3220302
Can you just release it under a different name... This is a surefire chink lawsuit avoidance 101.
Call it Glucksburg or some other German castle..
But since i assume you're not really raking about Wolfenstein, check with the copyright office. Ask about the IPs name is it under copyright they will tell you it's probably under a 3 or 5 year deal so it's most likely expired ... If it's not well you;re free to take it as your own for about a few dollars if you get your hands on the documentation and a sample copy.
>>3220995
And when the guys who own the IP aren't the guys who originally made it? It's like you're not even aware of the whole duke nukem shitfest.
Guys who make games often don't own them. If they're owned by a company and that company is sold or sells the game, or goes bust and it's assets are sold the property moves on.
>>3220992
>Ok internet lawyers
>says the underage who points to a single internet article which has nothing to do with copyright, instead of consulting actual lawyers
>or even looking up "copyright" on the internet
>>3221017
reddit.jpg
>>3220978
Seems to me like using a game title would fall in the trademark zone.
Now, using a character's likeness, and maybe recreating old levels should be less trademark reliant, but I'm not confident about that.
why do you want to make an exact sequel?
just say it's heavily inspired by and you're good.
