Werthead Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Games Workshop are trying to assert that they own the trademark on a term that was first used in print 51 years before they started using it.Just...no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poobah Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Yeah that's pretty fucking stupid.But copyright/trademark/"we own this shit" lawyers and associated people are pretty fucking stupid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durckad Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 Games Workshop being a bunch of dicks?Say it ain't so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon AS Posted February 6, 2013 Share Posted February 6, 2013 I always wondered if something like this was ever going to happen, though my money was on them suing over the word "ork" instead of the even more generic term. ;)Does anyone know since when this is considered a registered trademark of theirs? The oldest published sourcebook I have to hand is from '94, and there "Space Marine" is already listed amongst the trademarked terms.ETA: Amazon.com and .co.uk don't seem to have pulled the book in question, though. Maybe somebody in GW's PR department realised that this was a really bad idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Buck Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Ridiculous.EDIT: Does this mean I can trademark the title "dark mage" for my new fantasy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reposado Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Ridiculous.EDIT: Does this mean I can trademark the title "dark mage" for my new fantasy?if you haven't done it yet, it's too late. (trademark pending on phrase) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lannes Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Space Marine, bah!!! Let them have it.I prefer the original (that GW ripped off so much from) term- Mobile Infantry."Shines the name, shines the name...." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieM Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 They are probably still sore over the way Blizzard pretty much took their content, made strategy games out of it, and ascended to a way higher level whilst GW stood around slack-jawed watching...The 'pick on the little guy' (girl) approach is pretty pathetic, and won't ultimately gain them anything more than derision and bad karma from the community they want to sell to.Presumably they'll claim rights over the word 'Chaos' next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horza Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 That's sad. Rather than chase after generic ideas that others have bettered Games Workshop should take pride in the concepts they did come up with, like uh, space dwarves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Richard Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Dickmove. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corvinus85 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I would like to see them try to pull this crap with Tolkien Estate about the name Eldar.And while we're at it, why not take on the Catholic Church for the use of the terms Inquisition and Inquisitors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieM Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Meanwhile, we should try to come up with a better term than 'Space Marine', copyright it and SUE THE BALLS/OVARIES OFF anyone who tries to use it.I'm going with: Stargonauts.EDIT: Oh, it's taken :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I should copyright the phrases "he said" and "she said". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieM Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 You're making me feel like I've never been born. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon AS Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Presumably they'll claim rights over the word 'Chaos' next.I only see 'Realm of Chaos' on the list. Oh, and 'Terminator'. Maybe they should sue Arnold Schwarzenegger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastard of Godsgrace Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I would like to see them try to pull this crap with Tolkien Estate about the name Eldar.Yeah, I hope Tolkien Estate sues their ass over it. That would teach them a lesson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werthead Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Apparently Amazon have backed down and restored the book. And several American SF authors have registered various 'space marine'-derived websites. Some have even made noises about writing a 'space marines' anthology and inviting GW to try to stop them. Update here about the whole thing.Meanwhile, sales of the book in question through other venues have apparently shot up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkynJay Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Meanwhile, sales of the book in question through other venues have apparently shot up.Authors take care of their own it appears. My twitter feed blew up about this, with many authors saying they had just bought a copy and I should too! Glad Amazon backed off. Further proof (like the Applebees thing) that social media cannot be ignored anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mormont Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I should copyright the phrases "he said" and "she said".That's what she said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEvilKing Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 This is bullshit, I've been a space marine for years and I've never even though of taking Games Workshop to court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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