want to do wasn’t even considered possible when those deals were signed.
Tis question has actually been around since the beginning of the computer games industry: back in the 1980s, there were numerous cases in the UK where a company which bought the rights to create a board game based on a TV show also found itself owning the rights to do computer games.
Tat’s because when the original licensing deals were signed, computer games weren’t the multi- billion-dollar industry they are now, so people just lumped them into a generic ‘games’ category.
Tere can also be issues with the names of game shows, computer games, books and so on, particularly if they are fairly common terms – or if they’ve been around for long enough that local businesses have stepped in and registered them as trademarks or copyright.
Sometimes, such registrations are perfectly innocent, particularly if a word or phrase is already in common use; at other times, though, they are examples of ‘brand squatting’, where people try to cash in on someone else’s hard work.
We have worked on projects where problems occurred because TV show titles had not been cleared and properly investigated for potential trademark or copyright infringement before an international roll-out, leading to concerns about claims from brand owners from other industries.
As a result, on a couple of occasions – one a TV show and another involving a well-known retro console game – digital extensions have had to be called by a different name in some areas. For example, with the Endemol TV show, Wipeout, when we launched a mobile game we had to call it Big Red Ball Challenge in some territories.
So you need to fully understand the dynamics of the different regions and countries you are planning to launch your product in.
Obviously, brand values and resonance is important; but cultural issues can be just as important. Ten you have to check who owns the rights to the IP in different countries – including looking at any previous deals that may have been signed and checking just what rights may have been given on what platforms to which companies.
In over 15 years of brand licensing in the digital space we have seen a lot of changes, mostly to
do with different digital platforms emerging; but the principles remain the same; brand integrity, resonance, cultural influences, local regulations and IP clearance are key to success.
Te last hurdle to overcome is the rights owner. We have often faced opposition from IP holders over translating their properties into online gaming or slots products – until we showed them the potential revenue streams.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
247.COM P103
The last hurdle to overcome is the rights owner. We have often faced opposition from IP holders over translating their properties into online gaming or slots products – until we showed them the potential revenue streams.
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