Posted by member1234 on 2013-02-11 19:09:31

Saw this somewhere a couple of days ago, they've been at it pretty strongly since they got their new legal head. Read that the way things worked in Europe meant they could have a good case of it holding up compared to the US.

At least fumbbl seems fine for now, it's what, 8 years? Until the need to renew BB and will go at it hell for leather again?

Posted by MattDakka on 2013-02-11 19:42:22

Shame on GW!

Posted by PainState on 2013-02-11 19:51:44

The interesting thing to me about this is how GW operates its legal division. It seems the prefer to go after the "weak links" because they dont want to actually spend the capital (money) to defend their IP or trademarks. By going after the weak links were the possibility of a confrontation with GW is enough intimidation to make the other party back down.

GW also has a huge upper hand not because of the size of their company but rather the industry they do bussiness in. Their competitors would rather produce, play and distribute games instead of fending off rival companies "stealing" ideas. In fact some companies now are teaming up. Leasing out the liscensing of their games for others to produce. Fantasy Flight games is the leader in that type of game production.

For me the big issue as related to Blood Bowl was the big dust up 3 years ago. Looking back on it now it seems to me very clear what was going on. They said they needed to defend their IP and so forth. But it was actually a smoke screen to give cyanide a "leg up" to hopefully make Cyanide the place for online Blood Bowl games and forums. And it worked. Some BB sites did shut down just because they did not want to hassle with it any more.

Posted by keggiemckill on 2013-02-11 20:14:41

I find it odd as well. I know of a lot of people who have joined our TT league after playing Fumbbl. I also know many, including myself, that got reacquainted with BB because of Fumbbl. I've bought many GW products since my 2004 return. Silly for GW to not understand that this site helps promote their game. They dont seem to want to promote it, so why not let people do this? Why not let people do this for free?

Posted by Russo on 2013-02-11 20:35:03

@keggiemckill - my experiences entirely. I gave up TT when I went to Uni as had no time since. It was playing in WIL here on FUMBBL that got me back into it all.

Posted by Endzone on 2013-02-11 22:59:15

Bloodbowl, the GW game, is about player run leagues - the rulebook gives some guidance on how to do this. It is something of an irony that they threatend the biggest such league with legal action!

Posted by the_Sage on 2013-02-11 23:15:16

My BB history in chronological order:

A) Pirated Cyanide's game
B) Got onto fumbbl
C) Got into tabletop
D) Bought Cyanide as well

So umm... yeah, not a big loss for GW here either.

Posted by Mr_Foulscumm on 2013-02-12 00:49:35

Shame on GW?

Shame on the retards that approved the Copy Right.

Posted by Narlgoth on 2013-02-12 00:58:09

"Model-Soldier Maker", ahaha, funniest bit of the article. Can you belittle the hobby (and GW) anymore?! <- D

Posted by Narlgoth on 2013-02-12 01:06:35

Don't worry GW, from now on we shall use the phrase "Expanse Soldier". Also we will stop calling you "Games Workshop" and start calling you "Diversion Grindshop".

Hang on a second, no we won't because that's stupid.

Posted by johnalex on 2013-02-12 03:25:43

would've never bought my box set were it not for this (though I technically owned bb through that silly cyanide game)

Posted by Overhamsteren on 2013-02-12 07:00:58

In the first article the called GW Toymakers :O

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21380003

Posted by Ullakkomorko on 2013-02-12 08:12:47

I'm sure the author is quietly happy about this.

Posted by Arktoris on 2013-02-12 13:17:06

lawyers love to power play when there's no judge around.

Posted by Mr_Foulscumm on 2013-02-12 18:50:46

Yeah, crappy SciFi author gets free publicity. It doesn't matter the book got pulled coz no one would have read it anyway.

Seems like a win to me.