ip-rights
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Sony missed Limbo exclusivity by asking for IP rights
Sony Computer Entertainment Executive Producer Pete Smith said the company had issues signing Limbo "because of the IP," during a recent talk at the Develop Conference. Talks with Limbo developer Playdead Studios broke down as Sony wanted to retain intellectual property rights."There are obvious benefits to keeping it, but also to giving it up: you're way more likely to get the deal," Smith said of retaining IP rights during the talk. "A publisher is much more likely to commit to marketing and merchandising if they own the IP." After Sony failed to reach a deal with Playdead Studios, the Danish developer went on to launch Limbo on Xbox Live Arcade in July 2010, one year before it landed on PSN.Smith added, "Sometimes all we want is protection so [developers] don't make a game, finish it then go to one of our rivals. We look at IP on a case by case basis. With a bit of common sense, you can find common ground."
Spacetime Studios regains Blackstar rights from NCsoft
Earlier this year it was reported that NCsoft had cancelled development on Blackstar, Spacetime Studios' intriguing science fiction MMO. Unwilling to let that deter them, the studio continued to develop the title, hoping that an enterprising (no pun intended) backer would com along to rescue the studio from limbo.Well, there's even better news: Spacetime has newly acquired the rights to the IP, meaning that complete creative control is in their hands. From the press release: "After two years of development, the Blackstar universe is quite near and dear to our hearts" said Gary Gattis, executive producer and co-founder of Spacetime Studios. "Owning the IP as well as the engine and tool set puts a tremendous amount of potential in our hands. With all the developed components under the Spacetime team's control, the options for the IP are diversified." Congratulations, Spacetime! Expect an exclusive interview to appear on Massively very soon.[Thanks, Gary!]
BPI may grant Brits right to rip
While Americans continue to bemoan the loss of fair-use rights via DRM, the Broadcast Flag and other new legislation, Brits may find themselves with new rights via an unlikely source: the BPI, the country's equivalent of the RIAA, which is recommending some changes to the UK's copyright laws. However, the new rights will really only legalize something that both Brits and Americans have been doing for years: ripping music from CDs to digital audio players, which is currently illegal in the UK. As one industry exec said, "this is about the UK music industry responding effectively to the changing way music is consumed." But just because the BPI is willing to bless the idea of ripping CDs you've already purchased, don't think they've gone all soft. When it comes to file sharing, they're in sync with their US counterparts, and will continue hunting down suspected copyright thieves wherever they lurk.
