NCsoft files trademark application for superhero MMORPG it abandoned

[LQT]

3 hours ago, Rathulfr said:

Two possible scenarios spring to mind:

 

1. NCSoft needs to secure the trademark in order to insure they can license it to others with as few legal loopholes as possible.
2. NCSoft wants to secure the trademark in order to strengthen their position against claims by others that they've abandoned it.

The first one might be good news for Homecoming, because it means they're moving towards a legal agreement that benefits both parties.

 

The second one might be bad news for Homecoming (and everyone else), because it means they're moving towards legal action against anyone infringing on their trademark (assuming they get one).

 

(edit) Their lack of trademark might explain why they haven't yet taken any action on the rogue servers (including Homecoming).

 

3. NCSoft need to retain the trademark.

 

There's a Reddit thread discussing this: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cityofheroes/comments/ej3yu4/ncsoft_filed_a_trademark_application_for_city_of/

 

This post in particular explains the renewal issue: https://www.reddit.com/r/Cityofheroes/comments/ej3yu4/ncsoft_filed_a_trademark_application_for_city_of/fcvjory/

[Shadowsleuth]

2 hours ago, Rathulfr said:

For example, hypothetically speaking, Disney could open a Marvel theme park and call it "City of Heroes", with their own trademark.  That would put both NCSoft and Homecoming in a very difficult legal position. 

 

Would the name "City of Heroes" being used as a music album title or TV episode complicate things?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Heroes_(album)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arrow_(season_2)#ep24

[Grouchybeast]

3 hours ago, Rathulfr said:

(edit) Their lack of trademark might explain why they haven't yet taken any action on the rogue servers (including Homecoming)

That doesn't seem very likely.  They own the copyright on the code, and that's all they need to pursue legal action to shut down Homecoming.

[boggo2300]

23 minutes ago, Grouchybeast said:

That doesn't seem very likely.  They own the copyright on the code, and that's all they need to pursue legal action to shut down Homecoming.

My money is on a) regularly scheduled Trademark renewal or b) getting their ducks in a row for the current negotiations, or a combination of the two

[Panthonca7034]

I stayed quiet on this for a long time... It's time for me to speak now....

 

Before EVERYONE starts to yell "THE PRAETORIANS ARE COMING! THE PRAETORIANS ARE COMING", I'd like to urge everyone to take a seat back and chillax, and continue what was put out before "Go, Hunt, Kill Skullz" just as you have.

 

Whatever happens, will happen for good or ill, or whatever reason it has to happen. There's no sense in nor purpose in getting hellbent out of shape over anything concerning the IP or this or that, because it takes away from the enjoyment of the game.

 

Key point, relax people...

 

I think good things are coming, enough said...

[Fan Mail]

Appreciate the optimism and I agree.  But I gotta just mention having been burned before it's a hard stance to take. 

[Abraxus]

There are already those that are spreading the fear factor, as if they know what’s actually going on with 100% certainty.  Don’t allow yourself to fall into that mindset.  Nothing has actually changed yet, and when it does, hopefully it’s for the better.  Not the worse.

 

Until we get some kind of official word from those who actually do know something, just keep on playing! 😎

[quixoteprog]

This could be a good thing. Years ago NCSoft may have let the copyright lapse because they just did not care what happened with it. Until they entered negotiations with Homecoming to run the official "City of Heroes" server. That would require them to license or give the rights to use the trademark and copyright to them.

 

They certainly aren't going to let the Homecoming people file for that copyright. Because it has a value, especially if they ever want to do a sequel. And for that reason, among others, they don't want to let it become public domain so that some porn or scammer group gets it and registers a web site to screw with people. Then all the value/good will associated with it would be shot.

 

 

[boggo2300]

18 minutes ago, Abraxus said:

There are already those that are spreading the fear factor, as if they know what’s actually going on with 100% certainty.  Don’t allow yourself to fall into that mindset.  Nothing has actually changed yet, and when it does, hopefully it’s for the better.  Not the worse.

 

Until we get some kind of official word from those who actually do know something, just keep on playing! 😎

The thing is, NC-Soft isn't out to get you (the generic you, I don't mean you Abraxus, I quoted you as I'm trying to expand on what you said) NC-Soft aren't out to hunt down and kill everything warm and fluffy in the world,  NC-Soft (using it as a container for the people there) don't even think about you, about what city means to you, or us I should say, this is entirely business, they are protecting an asset they paid Cryptic cold hard cash for and then spent a LOT of their own money on, my personal feelings are they are seeing the HC negotiations as a face saving way of recouping some money from something they'd pretty much written off making anything back from.  I think the trademark renewal is exactly that, a renewal to make sure they can  get the most out of any agreement they reach with HC

[Abraxus]

I suspect that is what’s going on as well, but my optimistic appraisal of the situation is just that, and currently unsubstantiated.  That puts my outlook at the same level as the doomsayers for accuracy.  The big difference is, my words don’t make folks want to run for the hills unnecessarily. 😉

[Redlynne]

4 hours ago, 1gecko said:

Both by corporate culture and traditional culture of the country/region, NCSoft is VERY much "@#~& you all to Hell! I will spend my last drop of blood... sacrifice my last child! ...to hurt you for this imagined slight!" personality type.

NPC 1: "They're just trying to save face, it's their culture."

NPC 2: "What are they trying to save their face from?"

Hero: "PLANTING ..."$$powexecname Knockout Blow

[VileTerror]

I'm a bit confused.  Has anyone in this thread genuinely cried out "DOOM?"  I see plenty of joking doomcries, but overall it sounds like everyone here is one form or another of "cautious."  Cautiously optimistic, or cautiously concerned.  So what's with some folks calling foul of imaginary doombees?

[_NOPE_]

I just want to know if the HC team has anything to say about this turn of events. 

[Abraxus]

6 minutes ago, The Philotic Knight said:

I just want to know if the HC team has anything to say about this turn of events. 

They probably do, but might not be able to for legal reasons.  Since their talks are  likely bound by NDA, it would probably be tough to say anything official without crossing into that territory.

[Extor Prime]

What is most important is this is the first time NCSoft has made an overt move with regards to CoX since the HC and other servers went public.

 

Whatever comes next, one thing is guaranteed: the situation is about to change. How and in which direction is unclear, but the times are a-changin'. The era of being ignored is over, we have been officially noticed and perhaps put on notice.

 

If the HC team has been talking to NCSoft, they should know something and it would be helpful if they shared what they know.

[Abraxus]

18 minutes ago, VileTerror said:

I'm a bit confused.  Has anyone in this thread genuinely cried out "DOOM?"  I see plenty of joking doomcries, but overall it sounds like everyone here is one form or another of "cautious."  Cautiously optimistic, or cautiously concerned.  So what's with some folks calling foul of imaginary doombees?

I haven’t seen any indication of mass panic, but there has always been a pall of fear, right beneath the surface since the game returned; hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, because NCSoft was involved.  Things like this tend to shoot straight to that fear until otherwise assured there is no cause for concern.  Not sure if we will get that, or not.  But, I’m hoping folks will simply bear it in mind, and keep on doing what they are doing with regards to the game.

[boggo2300]

27 minutes ago, VileTerror said:

I'm a bit confused.  Has anyone in this thread genuinely cried out "DOOM?"  I see plenty of joking doomcries, but overall it sounds like everyone here is one form or another of "cautious."  Cautiously optimistic, or cautiously concerned.  So what's with some folks calling foul of imaginary doombees?

You are right, most of the doomsayers are absent, possibly in their bunkers waiting for the end,  to answer your last bit, a bit of added optimism is always a good thing, and can help prevent the ranks of the paranoid doomsayers growing

[boggo2300]

20 minutes ago, The Philotic Knight said:

I just want to know if the HC team has anything to say about this turn of events. 

can guarantee they do, however they wont for nda reasons

[boggo2300]

11 minutes ago, Extor Prime said:

What is most important is this is the first time NCSoft has made an overt move with regards to CoX since the HC and other servers went public.

 

Whatever comes next, one thing is guaranteed: the situation is about to change. How and in which direction is unclear, but the times are a-changin'. The era of being ignored is over, we have been officially noticed and perhaps put on notice.

 

If the HC team has been talking to NCSoft, they should know something and it would be helpful if they shared what they know.

It could just be a scheduled TM renewal

 

HC will not be able to share anything they know about this, helpful or not, there is an NDA in play and HC have too much to lose to break it.

[Arkasas]

13 minutes ago, Extor Prime said:

What is most important is this is the first time NCSoft has made an overt move with regards to CoX since the HC and other servers went public.

This is not true; they also transferred the copyright internally in May. Neither has any impact on how NCSoft has every legal right to shut Homecoming down if they really want to.

 

3 minutes ago, boggo2300 said:

can guarantee they do, however they wont for nda reasons

I imagine that if Jimmy were to say anything, he'd say "it's just a trademark refresh, everyone calm down". Of course, by acknowledging a non-story, you make it a story! :P

[boggo2300]

1 minute ago, Arkasas said:

I imagine that if Jimmy were to say anything, he'd say "it's just a trademark refresh, everyone calm down". Of course, by acknowledging a non-story, you make it a story! 😛

Exactly this

[Extor Prime]

40 minutes ago, boggo2300 said:

It could just be a scheduled TM renewal

It's not a renewal, this was already covered.

36 minutes ago, Arkasas said:

This is not true; they also transferred the copyright internally in May. Neither has any impact on how NCSoft has every legal right to shut Homecoming down if they really want to.

 

I imagine that if Jimmy were to say anything, he'd say "it's just a trademark refresh, everyone calm down". Of course, by acknowledging a non-story, you make it a story! 😛

No idea about what happened in May, and yes they can legally shut down HC and any one of the major rogue servers if they want to. This is an obvious fact on the level of "sky is blue and water is wet".

[Bodai]

Even if NCsoft re-released or licensed the game, I am not sure it would be enough to change my boycott-their-products forever stance.

Because the fact remains that they pulled the rug out from under us with almost no warning, for no good reason, and with no alternative.  The damage is done.

 

I think the ship has sailed on the C&D take-down stuff, they know full well it would just go underground (again)... especially now that it is fully in the wild.

So, if they just do that and there is no licensing or anything, then I double-down on boycott.  It's not like someone is making money off of it.

I will never understand why one would not license something, I guess there are people who hate people sending them money.

 

But sure, hopefully it is something positive.

 

-Bodai

[MTeague]

1 hour ago, Bodai said:

Even if NCsoft re-released or licensed the game, I am not sure it would be enough to change my boycott-their-products forever stance.

Because the fact remains that they pulled the rug out from under us with almost no warning, for no good reason, and with no alternative.  The damage is done.

 

I think the ship has sailed on the C&D take-down stuff, they know full well it would just go underground (again)... especially now that it is fully in the wild.

So, if they just do that and there is no licensing or anything, then I double-down on boycott.  It's not like someone is making money off of it.

I will never understand why one would not license something, I guess there are people who hate people sending them money.

 

But sure, hopefully it is something positive.

 

-Bodai

I don't require NCSoft to actually say "we apologize. we were flat wrong. we musta been mashugana."  (Although if they ever did, I would frame it.)

As long as they let CoH HC be, and ACT as if they have learned, I will be content, even if they never admit how much revenue they cost themselves or how much they jerked the playerbase around.

[boggo2300]

2 hours ago, Bodai said:

Even if NCsoft re-released or licensed the game, I am not sure it would be enough to change my boycott-their-products forever stance.

Because the fact remains that they pulled the rug out from under us with almost no warning, for no good reason, and with no alternative.  The damage is done.

 

I think the ship has sailed on the C&D take-down stuff, they know full well it would just go underground (again)... especially now that it is fully in the wild.

So, if they just do that and there is no licensing or anything, then I double-down on boycott.  It's not like someone is making money off of it.

I will never understand why one would not license something, I guess there are people who hate people sending them money.

 

But sure, hopefully it is something positive.

 

-Bodai

er you realise HERE is where the current license negotiations are for right? so you plan on leaving if HC get the license they have been working so hard to get?

 

the Cease and Desists are still a huge threat, they can nuke all the decent sized pirate servers (thats what they are, not rogue, they are all operating illegaly) sure then people can roll their own servers, but as soon as they start actually having a player base it's very easy for NC to stomp them as well, the best you could  hope for there is little private servers with maybe 20 or so players.  

 

Best possible result is HC getting a license, second best is NC keep going as they have been and ignoring the servers (though they HAVE contacted some of the server runners, just not telling them to stop fortunately)

 

I'm personally pretty happy with how I think things are progressing, but the NC-SOFT is teh Devilz stuff is only ever gonna make things worse, sure don't trust em, don't support them by buying any of their products (I don't) but vilifying them when we need at least their disinterest is likely to hurt US more than them

 

Sorry about the sermon, but this is one of my fears that we tick off NC-Soft enough that they drop the negotiations like they did with the previous groups