Virtual Legality

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(0:00) Intro

(3:32) Starbreeze Statement

(11:58) Insider Trading

(13:11) Reconstruction

(21:46) Extended Reconstruction Period

(25:30) Skybound Ends Contract with Starbreeze

(27:28) Contractual Promises

(30:51) Termination

(33:26) Bungie Contract

(39:33) Conclusion

First review-bombed and then removed, Red Candle Games' "Devotion" is the latest (but surely not the last) flash-point in the discussion around just what it means to sell video games into the Chinese market.

What happened here, and why did it result in the games' removal?

What can we take from this story for other game developers seeking sale in China?

And perhaps most importantly (at least to Valve), how does this (and stories like this) impact efforts to get the official Steam China storefront off the ground?

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/I2cm1fAqFmI

#Devotion #China #VirtualLegality

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Discussed in this episode:

"Chinese users review-bomb Steam horror hit Devotion over Xi Jinping Winnie the Pooh meme reference"

Eurogamer, February 23, 2019

(https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-02-23-chinese-users-review-bomb-steam-horror-hit-devotion-over-xi-jinping-winnie-the-pooh-moron-meme)

"Horror game Devotion pulled from Steam amid controversial joke about Chinese President Xi Jinping"

GameDailyBiz, February 25, 2019

(https://gamedaily.biz/article/626/horror-game-devotion-pulled-from-steam-amid-controversial-joke-about-chinese-president-xi-jinping)

"Official Statement Regarding Devotion Current State"

February 25, 2019

(https://steamcommunity.com/games/1006510/announcements/detail/1769256475103741408)

Robert Yang Tweets

(https://twitter.com/radiatoryang/status/1099396889135468552)

"Valve gets closer to officially launching Steam in China"

November 29, 2018

(https://www.vg247.com/2018/11/29/steam-china-valve-perfect-world-shanghai-government-approval/)

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)

(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)

Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050

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More twists and turns in the continuing story of just what happened to GGGManLives' Anthem Review!

What does Electronic Arts claim to have happened?

What is the difference between "Game Changers" and "Sponsored" Content?

And why does a video exist with absolutely *NO* disclosures, if the issue (as claimed by EA) was that EA paid for its creation?

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/FDi7tMZ_p_s

FOR MORE BACKGROUND CHECK OUT OUR ORIGINAL DISCUSSION OF THIS STORY:

"Virtual Legality #27 - Game Changer! Did EA force influencer to violate False Advertising Laws?"

(https://youtu.be/_WYxQZU6ju0)

#EA #Anthem #VirtualLegality

***

Discussed in this episode:

"EA: YouTube creator's Anthem video removed for disclosure failure, not content [UPDATE]"

GamedailyBiz, February 22, 2019

(https://gamedaily.biz/article/621/ea-youtube-creators-anthem-video-removed-for-disclosure-failure-not-content)

Tweets and Replies from GGGManLives

Twitter, February 23, 2019

(https://twitter.com/Ggdograa/with_replies)

"The FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking"

(https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking)

"My Reuploaded Anthem Review (It's Still Bad) - Gggmanlives"

Youtube, February 22, 2019

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFk_I0nxnU)

***

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)

(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)

Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050

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With reports that content creator "Gggmanlives", a member of Electronic Arts' own paid-affiliate "Game Changers" program, was asked to remove EA-identifying watermarks from his negative review of Bioware's Anthem, controversy surrounding the video game publisher's use of influencers as de facto arms of its marketing department continues to swirl.

What seems to have actually happened here?

What is the Electronic Arts Game Changers Program?

And if EA actually made this request, why might it have caused itself (and Gggmanlives) many, many more problems?

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/_WYxQZU6ju0

#EA #Anthem #VirtualLegality

***

Discussed in this episode:

"YouTuber paid by EA to review Anthem claims he was told to take down the video and remove watermarks after negative impressions"

vg247, February 22, 2019

(https://www.vg247.com/2019/02/22/paid-review-anthem-youtuber/)

Tweets from "Skill Up reviewing #Anthem"

February 22, 2019

(https://twitter.com/SkillUpYT/status/1098908894343049216)

Tweets from Gggmanlives

February 21 and February 22, 2019

(https://twitter.com/Ggdograa/status/1098885724303024128)

"My Reuploaded Anthem Review (It's Still Bad) - Gggmanlives"

Youtube, February 22, 2019

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAFk_I0nxnU)

EA Game Changers - Landing Page

(https://www.ea.com/game-changers)

EA Game Changers - About Page

(https://www.ea.com/game-changers/about)

EA Game Changers - Disclosure Page

(https://www.ea.com/game-changers/disclosure)

"The FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking"

(https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking)

"Virtual Legality #22 - Apex Legends: Running Afoul of FTC Advertiser Guidelines? (Hoeg Law)"

YouTube, February 4, 2019

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Onje7S80YEc)

"Virtual Legality Extra - It's About Ethics in Games Journalism... (Hoeg Law)"

YouTube, February 7, 2019

(https://youtu.be/DySHnxw6B5s)

***

THANKS FOR WATCHING!

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)

(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)

Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050

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When the best player in the game falls to injury, not by happenstance, but because of the shoe his University contractually obligated him to wear...who is left holding the bag?

What happened to Zion Williamson and his shoe on the night of February 20, 2019?

What happened to Nike's stock price?

And just what is in those "all-sports" contracts Nike signs with Universities like Duke, anyway?

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/6U50zAbcrL0

#Zion #Nike #VirtualLegality

***

Discussed in this episode:

"Zion Williamson Wrecked His Shoe And Also Maybe His Leg [Update]"

Deadspin, February 20, 2019

(https://deadspin.com/zion-williamson-wrecked-his-shoe-and-also-maybe-his-leg-1832772771)

"Duke loses Zion Williamson to mild knee sprain when shoe blows out"

ESPN, February 20, 2019

(http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26042130/duke-loses-zion-williamson-mild-knee-sprain-shoe-blows-out)

"Duke’s Zion Williamson blows out his shoe, injures knee, and Nike gasps in horror"

MarketWatch, February 20, 2019

(https://www.marketwatch.com/story/zion-williamson-blows-out-his-shoe-injures-knee-and-nike-gasps-in-horror-2019-02-20)

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill All-Sport Agreement

June 29, 2018

(https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/greensboro.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/b8/0b8c22ea-03b3-11e9-9a99-2f254044716b/5c1a7ef9e48bb.pdf.pdf)

Definition of "Negligence"

The Law Dictionary (featuring Black's Law)

(https://thelawdictionary.org/negligent/)

***

THANKS FOR WATCHING!

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)

(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)

Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050

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Rumors swirl of a long-dead game being revived for Nintendo's Switch platform, with Microsoft and PlatinumGames' abandoned Scalebound project leading the guesses.

Could Scalebound actually come to Nintendo's Switch?

What do intellectual property rights and contract law mean for how such a project might take shape?

And why does an abandoned trademark tell less than half of this particular story?

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/2WXuAzuS9D0

#Scalebound #Nintendo #VirtualLegality

***

Discussed in this episode:

"REPORT: SCALEBOUND RESURRECTED AS A NINTENDO SWITCH EXCLUSIVE"

Nintendo Insider, February 18, 2019

(https://www.nintendo-insider.com/report-scalebound-resurrected-as-a-nintendo-switch-exclusive/)

Scalebound Trademark Details

Justia

(https://trademarks.justia.com/864/58/scalebound-86458061.html)

Definition of Abandoned Applications

USPTO

(https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks-application-process/abandoned-applications#heading-2)

Definition of Notice of Allowance

USPTO

(https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/glossary#sec-n)

Scalebound - Trailer Gameplay E3 2016

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k4FTt-Ri0c)

IP Licensing Terms

Hoeg Law redacted sample software development agreement

***

THANKS FOR WATCHING!

FOR MORE CHECK US OUT:

On Twitter @hoeglaw

At our website: https://hoeglaw.com/

On our Blog, "Rules of the Game", at https://hoeglaw.wordpress.com/

On "Help Us Out Hoeg!" a regular segment on the Easy Allies Podcast (formerly GameTrailers)

(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZrxXp1reP8E353rZsB3jaA)

Biweekly on "Inside the Huddle with Michael Spath" on WTKA 1050