Legal Question

sqiddster

Copyright only applies to created content and special application of the name trademark. it is not applied in use of a name for the purpose of reference.

To infringe of copyright you must be using a copyright material as an endorsement of content to assist in selling your own work. Making a reference name of trivia would not. However creating a game where you have

"You Don't Know JACK", The Nintendo edition. Would royally screw you over. because at that point the product is using content of an IP as a selling point. Where as 1 question among thousands would not.

RandomExile

you rock for finding a resource :)

jayderyu That was my thinking as well. Making references to games, characters, or companies without using their images, sounds, and so on seems fine. I doubt the creators of "Scene It" or "You Don't Know Jack" needed the express written permission of every movie, game, or company in their questions.

RandomExile Thanks for looking into it. I came upon that link as well, but a quick Google search didn't turn up much more specifically regarding trivia games.

Trademarks and trivia games still seem to be a bit of a gray area. Putting "Nintendo Edition" in the title of a game seems like blatant infringement, but what about having a Nintendo category in a trivia game with 100 questions on various Nintendo titles? Or selling a "Capcom Question Pack" as an in-app purchase? Or even referencing specific companies and titles while advertising a trivia game online?

Great Great information, thanks everyone for the reply , I just got know from my experience that:-

01. Do not use Same Game Name

02. Do not use Same Sounds and Musics

03. Do not use Same Sprites or Models

Then it will be good I think , it is good to make zombie games but making a resident evil again with all those models and musics and such will be bad and can be illegal. <img src="smileys/smiley1.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Thanks guys for the replies and your time you have given in replies. <img src="smileys/smiley4.gif" border="0" align="middle" />

Games based platform "Mario", enemies, scenarios and mechanics in general, such games published below:

Google Play:

Super Mario

Developer: Best Platformer Game

Andrio's World

Producer: Joerg Jahnke

  Anybody problem?

To dredge this up. Does anyone have any examples of proposals for using someone's IP?

Sorry, I know this was asked a while ago, but this seemed like an important enough question to warrant an answer as other people may come across this thread with the same question.

I've used someone else's IP before. The requests I sent were just plainly written questions, not anything crazy written in some special legal code.

"Mr. Smith,

I came across a drawing of yours posted on (URL). I want to use this drawing for (quick project description). May I have your permission to do so?"

Obviously the responses vary. Many people are ok with it and will give you permission for free. Some will refuse or want to sell you a license. If you do obtain permission, it is a good habit to save the conversation (save emails, screenshot IMs or Facebook messages, etc) for future reference.

I would also like to add 1 piece to this incredibly informative thread.

You are allowed to reference copywritted works, as long as it doesn't imply your product was produced by the company of said copywritten works, or doesn't defame the product/company you are referencing. You are obviously not allowed to use assets from other games, not build your game around the characters/story of a copywritten work, as outlined here.

rightsofwriters(dot)com/2010/12/can-i-mention-brand-name-products-in-my(dot)html

unless this has been updated, I believe it to apply to all functional creations, including but not limited to games.