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Is anyone here a lawyer who can explain why it's worth taking such a big publicity hit over this by Take-Two? Like it is clear these guys are not taking away an

by kjrose 5y ago

Is anyone here a lawyer who can explain why it's worth taking such a big publicity hit over this by Take-Two? Like it is clear these guys are not taking away any business from them, nor are they really losing any money. Is there some sort of IP reason, like they need to defend the IP lest it be marked as being abandoned? Or is there some other legit reason beyond spite that they are taking this on? I dont see Take-Two losing any significant amount of income from this enthusiast project, but I could be wrong and I am willing to be corrected.

everyone 5y ago
Legal department / managers etc. needed something to do.
- jrm4 5y ago
  IAAL, and this is actually pretty accurate. Also of note, there is a princple within the law that basically suggests "if you don't vigorously defend your IP, that can be taken to mean you don't much care in the future as well." Honestly, in our modern environment, I don't find that much compelling (as something to really worry about from a developer POV), but it does exist.
  - yjftsjthsd-h 5y ago
    > a princple within the law that basically suggests "if you don't vigorously defend your IP, that can be taken to mean you don't much care in the future as well." I thought that was only trademarks?
    - jrm4 5y ago
      You may be right that, for now, that's where its mostly clearly stated..but.. I don't do much IP personally, but I'm familiar enough to have seen that a lot of people, even judges, don't always draw those technical clear lines between different types of IP. So, going both ways -- it's not unthinkable that someone would try to 1) apply this reasoning but with copyright and/or 2) claim (if flimisily) that this is trademark infringement, despite it not exactly fitting with how the law is supposed to work.
- kjrose 5y ago
  Doesn't the fallout from this like make it a bad thing to do though? They are pretty much attacking their biggest fans. I am pretty sure that's generally not a good idea from a marketing standpoint.

by kjrose 5y ago

everyone 5y ago

Legal department / managers etc. needed something to do.

jrm4 5y ago
IAAL, and this is actually pretty accurate. Also of note, there is a princple within the law that basically suggests "if you don't vigorously defend your IP, that can be taken to mean you don't much care in the future as well." Honestly, in our modern environment, I don't find that much compelling (as something to really worry about from a developer POV), but it does exist.
- yjftsjthsd-h 5y ago
  > a princple within the law that basically suggests "if you don't vigorously defend your IP, that can be taken to mean you don't much care in the future as well." I thought that was only trademarks?
  - jrm4 5y ago
    You may be right that, for now, that's where its mostly clearly stated..but.. I don't do much IP personally, but I'm familiar enough to have seen that a lot of people, even judges, don't always draw those technical clear lines between different types of IP. So, going both ways -- it's not unthinkable that someone would try to 1) apply this reasoning but with copyright and/or 2) claim (if flimisily) that this is trademark infringement, despite it not exactly fitting with how the law is supposed to work.
kjrose 5y ago
Doesn't the fallout from this like make it a bad thing to do though? They are pretty much attacking their biggest fans. I am pretty sure that's generally not a good idea from a marketing standpoint.