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2013/11/02 01:44:00
Subject: Is GW retreating from all non-English markets?
xruslanx wrote: GW are not clamping down on fansites. The largest fansite by far is dakkadakka, and they're fine as long as they clamp down on piracy/IP infringement. GW acted on radio40k because they read out the entire Space Marine codex before release. Imagine if yakface posted the entire points values and rules of the Space Marine codex in 40k General Discussion...clearly gw would be justified in acting on it.
Game rules can't be copyrighted. You have every right to read out the entire rules for 40k if you want. GW just feels entitled to demand additional protection for its IP beyond what the law allows, and enforces it with legal threats the average fansite can't afford to fight back against.
This is important to emphasize: the applicable US law can be found summarized on the U.S. Copyright Office page;
Spoiler:
Copyright does not protect the idea for a game, its name or title, or the method or methods for playing it. Nor does copyright protect any idea, system, method, device, or trademark material involved in developing, merchandising, or playing a game. Once a game has been made public, nothing in the copyright law prevents others from developing another game based on similar principles. Copyright protects only the particular manner of an author’s expression in literary, artistic, or musical form.
Material prepared in connection with a game may be subject to copyright if it contains a sufficient amount of literary or pictorial expression. For example, the text matter describing the rules of the game or the pictorial matter appearing on the gameboard or container may be registrable.
If your game includes any written element, such as instructions or directions, the Copyright Office recommends that you apply to register it as a literary work. Doing so will allow you to register all copyrightable parts of the game, including any pictorial elements. When the copyrightable elements of the game consist predominantly of pictorial matter, you should apply to register it as a work of the visual arts.
What Dakka is legally entitled to do is substantially less then what Dakka voluntarily chooses to do.
