Licensing Help...

Foehammer

Does any have any idea on where I may be able to find the information on who owns what license for an old game that was created by 3DO? (which is now extinct). I am considering purchasing the Torque engine to re-create an old game (with updated gameplay, online multiplayer, etc.) It would be fairly similar to the original title and I don't want to run into any copyright troubles, or heck since it is so old, someone may be willing to sell the license for dirt cheap if I can find who owns. I would like to sell the game initially if at all possible, I would do a level or 2 as freeware and then charge like 5-10 bucks for the finished product. It may seem a tad unrealistic but i can enlist people in my area to help, anyone have any ideas?

Foehammer

eh, not to bump, but another question, would it be better just to do it anyways and name it something else? I don't want to get sued and it would be similar enough, just an updated edition with added elements.

Mark Dygert

I guess that is one way to find whoever owns the license, wait for them to try and sue you? If you don't mind answering what game is it? Maybe we would be able to track it down better. Chances are that whatever company has it now doesn't know they have it and is just sitting on it.

Foehammer

yeah I'm trying to find who owns the license, the publisher was Acclaim (I believe they are out of business, i doubt anyone would steal the idea and even if they did they'd probably do it better, heh.


I checked the US Gov's trademark website and it lists the trademark for the game as dead, it expired in 2003. No idea what that means specifically but maybe the name is free to use now. I'll keep diggin...