<![CDATA[Latest posts for the thread "GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)"]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/6.page JForum - http://www.jforum.net GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
http://www.warhammeralliance.com/forums/showthread.php?t=326733

Upsetting your fans + bad global economy = probably not the best idea in the world. I'd rate it slightly lower than sticking a knife into an electrical outlet.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554159.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554159.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Aramus wrote:Wow, these guys are really trying to put themselves out of business.


Which one? Mythic(which is where the billing problem was, NOT GW) or GW(where this is coming from NOT Mythic)?

Remember, there are two separate companies involved here.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554175.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554175.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) 40k General.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554183.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554183.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Kanluwen wrote:Search function. Use it. This has already been discussed in 40k General.

See my signature. You don't have to be all militant. Being helpful/informative (suggesting to use search) doesn't have to come across as talking to a dog that pissed on the floor.

I didn't see this before and I find it troubling. GW is a business however. This could and should have been handling differently.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554213.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554213.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
When Warhammer Alliance was a privately operated fan site owned by one guy, that ran ads to maintain the cost of its servers?

Yeah, then it'd be a different story with the lawsuit.

When Curse, Inc(a for-profit company) bought WarhammerAlliance and began making money from it the rules changed.

It'd be like if Chapterhouse bought DakkaDakka, to give a rough example.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554218.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554218.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW was unable to contact the website... really?]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554228.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554228.page GMT Re:GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Wow, these guys are really trying to put themselves out of business.


Hopefully, if anything goes out of business it will be the Warhammer Online game. I was a hard core supporter of that game from beta to off and on its first year until I realized it was more or less trash and was never going to get better. Its failing month after month. I just unsubscribed after the event you describe next.

First the billing debacle (where they billed customers multiple times for one month's play, some saw over two thousand USD worth of charges)


Games Workshop is not involved in the billing of Mythic customers for the online game. That was all Mythic's problem and I believe it was handled rather promptly. I didn't stick around to find out.

and now going after fan sites? I'm afraid that the online gaming community are a little bit less thick skinned about this stuff as we are.


Curse.com is not a fansite. It is the parent company of the Warhammer Alliance forum site, and it is a business (ie paying for premium accounts and such). Curse.com being a commercial site that has GW trademark images and add ons for their liscensed property, as well as owning a site that has the words "warhammer" and "alliance" in it, would lead one to presume that Curse.com and GW have some sort of mutual business arrangement. Thats not the case and thats what this whole thing is about.

Upsetting your fans + bad global economy = probably not the best idea in the world. I'd rate it slightly lower than sticking a knife into an electrical outlet.


Mythic has all the blame in upsetting fans, by releasing a half assed MMO that needs to be put out to pasture. The RvR was arguably some of the best out there, but overall the game was deeply flawed and dated from the get go. Any Warhammer video/PC game that comes out after WAR will have to fight an uphill batte to impress fans, since WAR ruined it for a whole lot of people in the MMO world, which outnumbers tabletop gamers by a large margin, I suspect. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554237.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554237.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Byte wrote:I was referring to claim that GW was unable to contact the website... really?

Pretty much all the "contact" info refers you to PM mods.

That's not how to discuss legal matters, and Curse damn well should know that.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554250.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554250.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Platuan4th wrote:
Aramus wrote:Wow, these guys are really trying to put themselves out of business.


Which one? Mythic(which is where the billing problem was, NOT GW) or GW(where this is coming from NOT Mythic)?

Remember, there are two separate companies involved here.



Should have been a bit more clear on that one, I was mainly referring to the game

And Kanluwen, I don't see it in here anywhere, and I think it fits under NEWS and Rumors (I don't really read GD) If it doesn't belong here, I'm sure a mod will be along shortly to move/lock it.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554252.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554252.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554253.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554253.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Company gets sued for making profit off another company's IP illegally.

News at 11!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sidenote:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/292842.page Baron's thread.

Just to prove someone reads his threads. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554260.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554260.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Kanluwen wrote:
Company gets sued for making profit off another company's IP illegally.

News at 11!


Kanluwen rushes to protect poor, sickly GW from nasty online types with their fancy convoluted 'opinions'... again!!

News at 12!]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554265.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554265.page GMT Re:GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
NELS1031 wrote:
Wow, these guys are really trying to put themselves out of business.


Hopefully, if anything goes out of business it will be the Warhammer Online game. I was a hard core supporter of that game from beta to off and on its first year until I realized it was more or less trash and was never going to get better. Its failing month after month. I just unsubscribed after the event you describe next.

First the billing debacle (where they billed customers multiple times for one month's play, some saw over two thousand USD worth of charges)


Games Workshop is not involved in the billing of Mythic customers for the online game. That was all Mythic's problem and I believe it was handled rather promptly. I didn't stick around to find out.

and now going after fan sites? I'm afraid that the online gaming community are a little bit less thick skinned about this stuff as we are.


Curse.com is not a fansite. It is the parent company of the Warhammer Alliance forum site, and it is a business (ie paying for premium accounts and such). Curse.com being a commercial site that has GW trademark images and add ons for their liscensed property, as well as owning a site that has the words "warhammer" and "alliance" in it, would lead one to presume that Curse.com and GW have some sort of mutual business arrangement. Thats not the case and thats what this whole thing is about.

Upsetting your fans + bad global economy = probably not the best idea in the world. I'd rate it slightly lower than sticking a knife into an electrical outlet.


Mythic has all the blame in upsetting fans, by releasing a half assed MMO that needs to be put out to pasture. The RvR was arguably some of the best out there, but overall the game was deeply flawed and dated from the get go. Any Warhammer video/PC game that comes out after WAR will have to fight an uphill batte to impress fans, since WAR ruined it for a whole lot of people in the MMO world, which outnumbers tabletop gamers by a large margin, I suspect.


As I stated above, I should have been more clear, when I was referencing the online game. To Mythic's credit, they did handle it fairly quickly, although they haven't really done anything to "fix" the problem, or even let anyone know what happened (by fix I mean publicly getting rid of the billing company, offering proof that the customers billing information was no longer with said company, and offering proof on how they will ensure that that never happens again, since this was not the first time it happened)

You've got me on the Curse.com thing. And I'll also give you, running GW's trademarked images is a big nogo. However, GW doesn't own the right to the word Warhammer, or Alliance.

WAR being crappy does affect GW, even if they don't "own" Mythic. If it makes their brand look bad, potential customers will look at their other products, and may not buy them, since the associate the name Warhammer with crap.

Point is, GW needs to really stop suing their fans. I can't think of any company that has ever done something so stupid. I understand that they need to defend their trademarks, and in most cases, a simple email to the site in question "Please remove our trademarked/copyrighted images from your site - explain trademark stuff here" would suffice, and if that did not, I don't have any problem with them sending a C&D afterwards.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554268.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554268.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) do own the right to the trademark of "Warhammer" in reference to "Warhammer Age of Reckoning".

And again:
If it were still a fan owned and operated site?
Then yes, it would be ridiculous.

But it's not, it's a for profit company that is using it.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554271.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554271.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554272.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554272.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
But again: It's COMPLETELY different when it becomes a for-profit company that bought a fan site and turns it into a money making enterprise.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554279.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554279.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
http://www.uffsite.net/news/380/a-sneak-peak-at-the-ff13-strategy-guide.html

But then again, I guess Square/Enix isn't as big as GW, and can't afford lawyers, to go after these guys, since they are clearly making money (ads) and using their trademarks...]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554317.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554317.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Aramus wrote:Kind of like this?

http://www.uffsite.net/news/380/a-sneak-peak-at-the-ff13-strategy-guide.html

But then again, I guess Square/Enix isn't as big as GW, and can't afford lawyers, to go after these guys, since they are clearly making money (ads) and using their trademarks...

Again:
Is www.uffsite.net owned by a for profit company?

If yes: then Square/Enix could go after them.

If not: then it'd be pointless to go after them, because they won't pay out either way.

Let's clear this up right now:
Warhammer Alliance?
It is not a fan site.

It was from 2005-2009.
When the owner of Warhammer Alliance sold the site to Curse, Inc--it ceased being a fan site.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554322.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554322.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
If you could sue companies for 'fair use' then Saturday Night Live would have been run off the air long ago due to lack of advertising. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554335.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554335.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
There's no parody or satire, there's no news reporting, etc.

The site is billed as a "Fan Community", not an Unofficial News Service.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554346.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554346.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)

An online community qualifies as criticism/commentary. For not reporting 'news' of WAr, the very topmost thing on the site main page is the 'Warhammer Alliance Daily News" which has been there since the get go, as well as conducting dev interviews. They host numerous FAQs and guides, which would count under the broad umbrella of teaching.

I'll also point out that IGN is not being sued and does exactly the same thing. So what makes Curse sue-able and IGN not? ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554363.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554363.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Curse does not openly state that they run Warhammer Alliance.

Even now, they don't. Warhammer Alliance is "shocked and surprised" that the agreement they made with GW in 2005(when they were a non-profit, fan entity) is being revoked now when they're owned by a for profit company misrepresenting itself as a fan site.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554368.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554368.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
BaronIveagh wrote:"...the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright." - Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. § 107


An online community qualifies as criticism/commentary. For not reporting 'news' of WAr, the very topmost thing on the site main page is the 'Warhammer Alliance Daily News" which has been there since the get go, as well as conducting dev interviews. They host numerous FAQs and guides, which would count under the broad umbrella of teaching.

I'll also point out that IGN is not being sued and does exactly the same thing. So what makes Curse sue-able and IGN not?


Yep, seems real cut and dry to me.

http://www.ifixit.com/

These guys make money! They SELL things, and have advertisements on their site! Too bad poor Apple can't afford the stellar team of lawyers that GW has, so they could shut down these thieves too. (Because Apple isn't known for suing the pants off of anyone they can, right? )


And, LOOK at these guys http://planetquake.gamespy.com/

Using id's intellectual property and making money off of it! If only id's founder didn't spend all of his money trying to get into space, they could have hired a legal team...]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554381.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554381.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW did was explicit consent. They did not stipulate at that time that such consent was contingent on the site remaining in the possession of it's original owners, who were running it for profit at that time.

Curse, Inc's logo is plastered all over the site. how do you figure they don't admit to owning it?

IGN has their warhammer site as warhammervault.ign.com Under the allegations that GW makes, this would be construed as implying an alliance between IGN and GW. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554387.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554387.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
BaronIveagh wrote:I might point out that Games Workshop never informed them that such agreement was being revoked. Further, I'll point out that what GW did was explicit consent. They did not stipulate at that time that such consent was contingent on the site remaining in the possession of it's original owners, who were running it for profit at that time.

Curse, Inc's logo is plastered all over the site. how do you figure they don't admit to owning it?

IGN has their warhammer site as warhammervault.ign.com Under the allegations that GW makes, this would be construed as implying an alliance between IGN and GW.

By the by, the agreement was made between GW and the site's former owner.


Once it was sold--the agreement no longer was valid.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554403.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554403.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554425.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554425.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554434.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554434.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
And further, the site would not have qualified as non-profit to begin with, since they were turning a profit on advertising.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554440.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554440.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW forgotten that you make friends by making deals and helping others? Being willing to compromise to get greater market visibility with little to no overhead? GW has the most loyal customer base of just about ANY industry. They're always willing to work with you because they love the product. They are absolutely looking a gift horse in the mouth by snubbing fans.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554470.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1554470.page GMT Re:GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Now they are just riding the donkey cave backwards into the sunset.



]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1556522.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1556522.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) http://tinyurl.com/35kb7t5) and came over here to see what you guys thought about it. First post at the top of the news section: GW 2010 Price Rises

Vote with your wallets. Seriously - there are great gaming companies out there that would love your business.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1557992.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1557992.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW crazy) are getting my cash.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1558201.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1558201.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) I can understand what GW is doing and see sense in such actions but I can't understand the way they do this. They have a new ip section chief and she seems to do her job, but they should also think about hiring new PR chief that would slap her in the back of the head with a bamboo stick and teach her polite way to solve such matters. Especially considering it's a hobby bussiness not a hardcore one.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559456.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559456.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
The new IP chief is probably being hassled by EA/Mythic to better protect their licensees. GW's responsibility isn't just to their shareholders once they start licensing.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559467.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559467.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) very interesting to see this suit actually play out, instead of the typical "GW-brandishes-lawyer, victim-ceases-and-desists".

I'd love it if came to this, since Curse actually invested money in buying and operating WA, presumably on the rationale that they'd be obtaining the goodwill associated with the site. Maybe they have enough incentive to fight it out.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559468.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559468.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Kanluwen wrote:"Hobby business" still equals "business".


Can't argue with that - and I never did . But this still doesn't change the fact there are several ways to solve things. And IMO when you're thinking about "bussiness" it's good to think about the ways that don't hurt the company's image .
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559488.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559488.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Przemas wrote:I agree totally with Grunt_For_Christ .
I can understand what GW is doing and see sense in such actions but I can't understand the way they do this. They have a new ip section chief and she seems to do her job, but they should also think about hiring new PR chief that would slap her in the back of the head with a bamboo stick and teach her polite way to solve such matters. Especially considering it's a hobby bussiness not a hardcore one.


Thank you. And by the way, have you read the actual brief GW and their team put out? They claim that:

1. The mark warhammer alliance is using has caused egregious and irrevocable harm to the Warhammer brand and that their mark is similar in all ways to GW's logo.

2. They also claim that there are no legal processes for solving this dispute other than to seek compensation on at least four different counts.

3. They profess that the game is among the most famous games of its kind and has worldwide recognition as being a leader in the genre.

Can anyone tell me the numbers of people playing the warhammer version of warcraft and how they stack up? Or perhaps the numbers of subscriptions GW is pulling in from the game which seems to have largely been forgotten by the gaming community at large? I just want to be fair and see if the game really is the end all, be all MMORPG GW is claiming.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559644.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559644.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
jamsessionein wrote:I've little to contribute other than to say that it would be very interesting to see this suit actually play out, instead of the typical "GW-brandishes-lawyer, victim-ceases-and-desists".

I'd love it if came to this, since Curse actually invested money in buying and operating WA, presumably on the rationale that they'd be obtaining the goodwill associated with the site. Maybe they have enough incentive to fight it out.

Bull.

They bought the site as an established community, and they're trying their hardest to make it seem like they're being bullied in the forums over there.

Claiming "they were never warned/contacted", etc is ridiculous. If anything, GW is well-known for, as you said "GW-brandishes lawyer with C&D--victim ceases and desists".

They do not just up and go after someone with no warning as is being claimed here. Even that petty stunt that Board Game Geeks did of flashing the C&D on their front page mentioned that they were given a warning and contacted by a lawyer prior to it.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Grunt_For_Christ wrote:
Przemas wrote:I agree totally with Grunt_For_Christ .
I can understand what GW is doing and see sense in such actions but I can't understand the way they do this. They have a new ip section chief and she seems to do her job, but they should also think about hiring new PR chief that would slap her in the back of the head with a bamboo stick and teach her polite way to solve such matters. Especially considering it's a hobby bussiness not a hardcore one.


Thank you. And by the way, have you read the actual brief GW and their team put out? They claim that:

1. The mark warhammer alliance is using has caused egregious and irrevocable harm to the Warhammer brand and that their mark is similar in all ways to GW's logo.

2. They also claim that there are no legal processes for solving this dispute other than to seek compensation on at least four different counts.

3. They profess that the game is among the most famous games of its kind and has worldwide recognition as being a leader in the genre.

Can anyone tell me the numbers of people playing the warhammer version of warcraft and how they stack up? Or perhaps the numbers of subscriptions GW is pulling in from the game which seems to have largely been forgotten by the gaming community at large? I just want to be fair and see if the game really is the end all, be all MMORPG GW is claiming.

You're not reading it correctly, mate.
1. The "mark" is the title, alongside of the icon that appears on your browser in a tab(using an Ork Glyph) as far as I can tell.
2. There isn't. We're not getting the full story out of Curse, and the petty manner in which they announced the lawsuit is a pretty obvious to get Curse Network affiliates and members into a bit of a tiff where they'll start hollering about it elsewhere, bringing even more bad press than just "OHEMGEEGW'S SUING A 'FAN' SITE!", but never mentioning anything about the profit that Curse makes from an IP that isn't theirs, etc.
3. They profess that the brand name of "Warhammer" is what's being damaged by Curse Network claiming that they are, in fact, in a form of "alliance" with Games Workshop and its Warhammer brand.

And again:
GW isn't pulling in subscriptions. EA/Mythic is. Much like the Blood Bowl instance, GW is under obligation to protect its licensees and the properties they license out.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559645.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559645.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW is smoking crack right now.

Actually, Kanluwen, GW is claiming they couldn't contact them at all because Curse supposedly had too many false fronts for them to try and sort through, reading here in the list of complaints...

...never mind that Curse's logo is right on the site...]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559898.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559898.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) http://www.curse.com/content/AboutCurse.aspx

Where's the contact information?
Where's specific names to contact, etc?

It doesn't matter if Curse's logo is on the site. If Curse has no way to be contacted to legally serve a C&D, etc--then they have no contact info.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Actually, I found contact info.

Do you know the only contact information Curse gives?

Their head of advertising. Which is not who you contact for a legal matter.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559907.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1559907.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
It would be the same than me going into a GWs shop and request an address for sending a complain letter.

2. There isn't. We're not getting the full story out of Curse, and the petty manner in which they announced the lawsuit is a pretty obvious to get Curse Network affiliates and members into a bit of a tiff where they'll start hollering about it elsewhere, bringing even more bad press than just "OHEMGEEGW'S SUING A 'FAN' SITE!", but never mentioning anything about the profit that Curse makes from an IP that isn't theirs, etc.
Neither are we getting the full story from GW and if the reasons given here for the claim are the only ones in the civil suit (meaning there are not additional documents we are not aware of) Curse might be lying but GW surely IS lying.

M.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560010.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560010.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Grunt_For_Christ wrote:
Can anyone tell me the numbers of people playing the warhammer version of warcraft and how they stack up? Or perhaps the numbers of subscriptions GW is pulling in from the game which seems to have largely been forgotten by the gaming community at large? I just want to be fair and see if the game really is the end all, be all MMORPG GW is claiming.


http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/150k-1m.png

It appears to be being beaten by the original Everquest. It's a huge failure that's apparent to pretty much everyone that plays those games, especially after last month's billing fiasco which did a lot more to harm the game's reputation than any stupid website could.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560320.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560320.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
I remember people saying it's going to dethrone WoW. 800k vs 11M.

Hmm.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560336.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560336.page GMT Re:GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW really has too many irons in the fire. They spread out really quickly after about 2004 (right when DOW came about). Now they are feeling the strain from trying to do too many things at once. Go back to making models that don't have casting flaws and continue cornering your Niche (which they are losing their grip on).

Going after that Website (post 09) was legitimate since the new ownership was making a profit at their expense. However, using an eviscerator to cut off a small tumor has resulted in a large PR mess. If PR was a stat theirs would be a -8. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560347.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560347.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Miguelsan wrote:Why not? He or She is a contact for Curse so you request the information for the head of the legal department and if said person refuses to give it to you now you can say that they are stalling.

It would be the same than me going into a GWs shop and request an address for sending a complain letter.

2. There isn't. We're not getting the full story out of Curse, and the petty manner in which they announced the lawsuit is a pretty obvious to get Curse Network affiliates and members into a bit of a tiff where they'll start hollering about it elsewhere, bringing even more bad press than just "OHEMGEEGW'S SUING A 'FAN' SITE!", but never mentioning anything about the profit that Curse makes from an IP that isn't theirs, etc.
Neither are we getting the full story from GW and if the reasons given here for the claim are the only ones in the civil suit (meaning there are not additional documents we are not aware of) Curse might be lying but GW surely IS lying.

M.

We're not getting any story out of GW.

Because it's a legal case not a public relations ploy.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560349.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560349.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW will pay the PR price again as the other party gives their own side of the story.

M.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560513.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1560513.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) GW has such a reputation for this sort of thing that it's extra damaging to finally be called out on it.

Particularly as you, a regular person, could find some contact information fairly quickly. Which is what a judge and jury will look at, since this is a civil suit, is what a reasonable person would do.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1561365.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1561365.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Kanluwen wrote:Bull.

They bought the site as an established community, and they're trying their hardest to make it seem like they're being bullied in the forums over there.

Claiming "they were never warned/contacted", etc is ridiculous. If anything, GW is well-known for, as you said "GW-brandishes lawyer with C&D--victim ceases and desists".

They do not just up and go after someone with no warning as is being claimed here. Even that petty stunt that Board Game Geeks did of flashing the C&D on their front page mentioned that they were given a warning and contacted by a lawyer prior to it.


I think you may be reading substantially more into my post than was intended, since I don't think I said anything to the contrary of what you followed up with.

I didn't assert anywhere that they had no prior warning. My assertion was that GW tends to brandish their legal arm without reluctance, and as a way of coercing the other party into doing what they want without actually litigating the matter in full. Just once, I'd like to actually see it reach adjudication.

The fact that "they bought the site as an established community" doesn't seem to contradict what I said about how Curse invested money into buying and operating WA to obtain the goodwill associated with the name. I figured since they had a vested financial interest in that purchase, and since changing the name would deprive them of the goodwill they were buying into, they might actually have enough motivation to litigate.

Kanluwen wrote:Do you know the only contact information Curse gives?

Their head of advertising. Which is not who you contact for a legal matter.


You could probably still serve that individual on agency grounds, given that I have no idea whether or not Curse actually has a legal division. I've heard of them only very faintly in passing, so I wouldn't know.

Edit: After five minutes of googling, I've ascertained the identity of their CEO, and that he's in the San Francisco Bay area. A further 3 minutes of looking at public records of corporate filings on Lexis Nexis and I've found all of the information about Curse, Inc, including Mr. Thieblot's name, that he's a registered agent, and his address. Any law firm worth a damn could do the same and go deliver service. I don't think Curse is quite as mysterious as you're making it out to be.
]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563571.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563571.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Hence, it's improperly registered.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563624.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563624.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) IIRC.

And once again: in a civil case, such as this, if the information came back incorrect, a reasonable person would look it up. Which is, again, what the judge and jury will be looking for. One of the irritating things with Tort is it's not just the law, it's how the jury perceives the plaintiff and defendant's actions.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563706.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563706.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
Also, Curse apparently has had their fingers in the pie of Warhammer Alliance since 2007 without WA ever mentioning that the personal information/demographic information of WA's members was being given out by Curse. ]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563730.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563730.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time) http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563741.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563741.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
When most people joined as of 2005-2006, it wouldn't have mattered. It was a small site that wasn't giving out information other than what ads were getting clickthroughs.

Curse does not do that. Curse tracks things and has been since 2007, and uses the Premium Membership to its best effect. They -did not- warn members about Curse giving out their information until Curse actually bought the site.]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563753.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563753.page GMT GW sues yet ANOTHER fansite (WAR related this time)
First Name: Agent
Last Name: Spliff

(It suited my sense of humor)]]> http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563770.page http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/preList/293666/1563770.page GMT