Virtual Legality

null

null

Video game publisher Raw Fury has taken the unusual step of putting its publishing contract onto the Internet, and we couldn't be happier!

In Part VI of our continuing series, we look at the promises developer and publisher make to each other. Can I sign this? Can I keep it secret? Keep it safe?

This is going to be fun, so let's dive in.

Gamers know a little something about covenants...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/MmQn582PDBc

#LawyerReads #GamePublishing #RawFury

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS (TIPS) - https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

STORE - https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store

***

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

05:03 Organization and Authority

16:45 Performance and Operation

23:07 Open Source and Legal Compliance

31:55 Confidentiality

35:51 Conclusion

***

Discussed in this episode:

"A Lawyer Reads...A Game Publishing Agreement"

YouTube Playlist - Hoeg Law

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy_VayRrIvRSP64k6oOv9jLi

"About Us"

Raw Fury Webpage

https://rawfury.com/about/

"Why we are publishing Raw Furys publishing agreement"

Raw Fury Webpage

https://rawfury.com/why-we-are-publishing-raw-furys-publishing-agreement/

"Developer Resources"

Raw Fury Webpage (Click Through Dropbox for Publishing Agreement)

https://rawfury.com/developer-resources/

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

null

(0:00) Introduction

(5:03) Organization and Authority

(16:45) Performance and Operation

(23:07) Open Source and Legal Compliance

(31:55) Confidentiality

(35:51) Conclusion

null

null

Terraria co-creator Andrew Spinks in a series of tweets, has pulled Terraria from (what was apparently future) Stadia support, and further outlined the many ways in which Google's actions and subsequent silence have negatively affected him.

Is "doing business with" Google really "a liability"? And what concerns should everyone have with this set of events, especially in a world where so many companies have their hands in so many different walks of life.

Let's dive in.

Freedom (of Contract) is just another word for everything to lose...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/YrGWW8SxZn4

#Terraria #Google #Stadia

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS - https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

STORE - https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store

***

Discussed in this episode:

"The co-creator of Terraria has canceled its upcoming Google Stadia version..."

Tweet - February 8, 2021 - IGN

https://twitter.com/IGN/status/1358725223583989761

"Terraria on Stadia Canceled After Developer Is Locked Out Of Google Accounts"

IGN - February 8, 2021

https://www.ign.com/articles/terraria-on-stadia-canceled-after-developer-is-locked-out-of-google-accounts?sf137781382=1

h/t LinkGuy

https://twitter.com/linkguy456/status/1358755166728560640

"my account has now been disabled for over 3 weeks."

Tweet - February 8, 2021 - Andrew Spinks

https://twitter.com/Demilogic/status/1358661840402845696

"Oculus Terms Of Service"

Updated October 11, 2020

https://www.oculus.com/legal/terms-for-oculus-account-users/

"Microsoft Services Agreement"

Effective October 1, 2020

https://www.microsoft.com/en-US/servicesagreement

Google "Terms of Service"

https://policies.google.com/terms

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twithttps://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/trademark-patent-or-copyrightter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

The nemesis system found in WB's Shadow of Mordor (and its follow-up Shadow of War), has long been lauded for adding an interesting bit of personality and flexibility into the sometimes tired genre of the open world action-adventure.

But while many have wondered why we haven't seen the system utilized in other games, the answer is perhaps the true nemesis of the story: patent law.

What has WB patented? What is a "method" patent and why is it different from how some may be interpreting it? Could the patent be invalidated? And what are the most significant barriers to such invalidation?

Let's dive in.

The great eye of patent law is ever watchful....in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/zmaCuPx3_1E

#Patent #Nemesis #Mordor

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS - https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

STORE - https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store

***

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

01:13 WB Patents the Nemesis System (and Reaction)

03:15 Intellectual Property Types

5:37 Patents in Particular

7:08 A (brief) Look at the Nemesis Claims

13:26 Nemesis Weaknesses - Timing

14:54 Nemesis Weaknesses - Novelty and Obviousness

23:17 Nemesis Weaknesses - Totality Requirement

27:01 Conclusion

***

Discussed in this episode:

"WB Games' Nemesis System Patent Was Approved This Week After Multiple Attempts"

IGN - February 5, 2021

https://www.ign.com/articles/wb-games-nemesis-system-patent-was-approved-this-week-after-multiple-attempts

"Warner Bros. receives criticism for patenting Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis System"

VGC - February 6, 2021

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/warner-bros-receives-criticism-for-patenting-shadow-of-mordors-nemesis-system/

"Trademark, Patent, or Copyright?"

USPTO Website

https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/trademark-patent-or-copyright

"Inventions patentable"

35 USC 101

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/35/101

"Infringement of patent"

35 USC 271

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/35/271

"Method (patent)"

Wikipedia Entry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_(patent)#cite_note-4

Global Dossier - Patent Application Portfolio

Nemesis Patent (Serial No. 15/081,732)

https://globaldossier.uspto.gov/#/

"Conditions for patentability; non-obvious subject matter"

35 USC 103

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/35/103

BMC Resources v PaymentTech

498 F.3d 1373 (2007)

https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=17571560960463677821&hl=en&as_sdt=80000006&as_vis=1

"Doctrine of Equivalents"

Cornell Webpage

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/doctrine_of_equivalents

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twithttps://www.uspto.gov/trademarks/basics/trademark-patent-or-copyrightter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

null