The most important blog I'll ever write... · 5:03am Feb 9th, 2013
Sign this thing. Now. All of you.
Only an hour or so up, and already over a thousand votes. Pretty sure we can wrack that up even further.
Im gonna level with all of you. I didn't care about this game. I wasn't excited for it. I mean, I saw the uploads on EQD and heard about it on youtube, but it wasn't something that I was eagerly excited for. Truthfully, I didn't even plan on playing the thing even when it was released. It wasn't that big of a deal to me, though I admired the team for the awesome game they were pulling together.
But as a writer... as someone who loves to create and as a Brony... I weep for the Mane6 and the loss of this game. I weep for all their wasted time, effort, and passion. Two years of effort went into this game, and only NOW Hasbro decides to send them a C&D? For Celestia's sake, its not like it was a secrete to anyone! THe writers of the show even liked the idea! This is the equivalent of one of us spending years writing an epic fanfiction, only for Hasbro to shut us down just as we're about the write the last chapter!
The reason I want all of you to sign this petition is because we are beginning to fall head over heels down that slippery slope. Fighting is Magic was a free, nonprofit game that was developed by passionate fans, and who planned on donating any money received for the game to Breast Cancer research. And Hasbro slapped them with a C&D, and unless we do something, its game over for the Mane6.
And then whose next? Fimfiction for using their characters? EQD for using images and IP from the show? Seriously, what is next? Laugh all you want, and I hope I am being overly crazy about this. Just keep one thing in mind...
First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.
Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Catholic.
Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.
Time to speak out. Time to draw the line. Spread the word. Get this as far out and as wide as possible. Sign the petition.
Or who knows. We might be next.
Instant signed, this is bullshit of the highest degree.
809886 Wasn't trying to compare it to the holocaust, but the quote has always rung strong with me, and it seemed fitting. For something trivial like MLP, this affects us all in the end, whether you're a musician, writer, or artist. Even if you just enjoy the fan stuff, this would hurt you.
Spread the word. Get this as far out and as wide as possible.
Edit: And someone freaking contact our boys in 4chan! To my knowledge, Anonymous at least tolerates us and might join in!
Won't accomplish anything as this is an issue of trademark protection, it sucks, but that's how the law works in the U.S..
Petittions do not work. The only time petittions are taken under consideration is when they are requested in advance by a decusion maker. Also online petittions do not work as they are unverifyable. Also this is not a democratic issue up for debate, it is a civil dispute between an IP owner and someone developing with that IP without permission.
If they removed all references to the show and included a pallet customizer so we would be responsible for making characters look showlike they could get away with it. City of Heroes did the same thing.
This isn't the first time a fan made game has been canned by its parent company due to copyright/trademark. I remember many years ago, there was a Halo RTS fan game which was also given a C&D by Microsoft/Bungie and nothing could be done about it because the actual game company wanted to do their own Halo RTS (which they did a couple of years later) and the fan devs can only sit and watch all their hard work go down the drain.
It was sad but nothing could be done about it, the parent company does hold the right to the original IP.
Signed because why not.
But understand that 809917 is right, if Hasbro is made aware of the game and the do nothing to protect their copyright then they cede the right to the characters... unless they grant specific right to reproduction of their copyrighted characters to the dev team (hint: that's probably never going to happen).
Still, nice to know that the fandom's first reaction is a peaceful one.
i really think that they chose a bad time to do it, they should have done it quite a while ago if they really didn't want it out, 'the process' can't be that slow. any news about how their request for them to work out a deal went? and is it 100% sure that the C&D 'card' is legitimate and not just some asshole hater who's good with computers? (i've seen that happen quite a few times...)
ill sign the petition of course
Hopefully they can come to an agreement that doesn't involve shutting down the game, I hope this helps them out. (signed btw)
Wont sign. Look, its as simple as Hasbro does not want a child-oriented IP under their control to be used in a violent context. The game is a fighting game. Sure, in the show the mane 6 are shown to defeat changelings and other supernatural enemies, but they have NEVER hit another 'real' thing... even the one scene where fluttershy drops a bear its shown to be part of a really rough massage/kiropractic treatment. Its the violence.
But hey, why even bother with this petition? Lauren Faust has offered to help design some new characters for the game. Just swap out the graphics and you're good
A bit late, bit I still signed.