Atari is Dropping Cryptic

[Deadman]

I guess my question is, "How does this affect Hero Games?"

Who actually holds the IP for Champions and what will the fate be if no one picks up Cryptic?

Here is a link to the subject on the Champions-Online forumns.
http://forums.champions-online.com/showthread.php?t=129728

[Steve Long]

AFAWK at this time, it has no affect on us at all; Cryptic retains ownership of the Champions IP.

[IndianaJoe3]

I guess my question is, "How does this affect Hero Games?"

It means you should buy all the official Champions material now, before the IP goes into limbo and turns existing copies into valuable collectibles. :winkgrin:

[Starcloud]

Presumably, there is a reversion clause in the original sale contract that allows Hero Games the first chance to recover the Champions IP, if Cryptic were to drop Champions Online entirely, cease production and upkeep of the game, and stop using the Champions IP.
This scenario really is highly unlikely.

[gojira]

I think, and this is just a guess, that if Cryptic's Champions Online IP were to go inactive, then the rights would quietly revert to Hero Games. Much the same way the "Champions" name left Marvel and went to the game company actually using it. No one else could use Champions in the mean time, as Hero Games has the rights, and if they're the only one using it, then... I guess they get it.

Not at all sure about that, but seeing how the law already worked that way once, I think it might work that way again.

[Tasha]

I am surprised. The Champions was published by Marvel starting in 1975. It didn't last too long, but they did have a team of that name. My guess is that HG never got hassled because they were too small and probably once noticed the game had been around for quite awhile. Also while it's a game made for RPGing comics supers, it's a game and not a comic. Also one could argue that Champion, The Champion, Champions etc are generic terms and aren't available for Trademark.

The only guy that might have attracted Marvel's ire would be Dennis Malonee(sp?) who published(s) Hero Comics. They might have had a title called the Champions for a millisecond before someone exercised IP rights.

[gojira]

No, I'm sure I read that Hero Games got sued by Marvel, and Hero Games won. As you said, it have been a while since The Champions had been published, and it took a while for Marvel to notice Hero Games as well. After Marvel finally got around to suing, the courts or a jury (not sure which) ruled that Marvel had let their trademark expire and now Hero Games had full rights to it.

[Balabanto]

Well, it's not just that. It's that there was absolutely no character correlation whatsoever, and a game designed product for superheroes in general was too generic to claim a basis solely in Marvel's product.

[BobGreenwade]

Well, it's not just that. It's that there was absolutely no character correlation whatsoever, and a game designed product for superheroes in general was too generic to claim a basis solely in Marvel's product.The team associated with Champions has, for quite a while, been The Champions. Unless I'm misunderstanding something (which is not all that unlikely), that detail was the point of contention, not the name of the game itself.

[RexMundi]

Yeah but I think even the comic went to being The League of Champions .......Then of course we had a name change to Giant from ....well should be obvious ......

When Marvel started up "The Order" they wanted to go back to using "The Champions" name, but ran into the Heroic Publishing speed bump .....

Either way....it will be interesting to see which way this goes.

~Rex

[rjcurrie]

The team associated with Champions has, for quite a while, been The Champions. Unless I'm misunderstanding something (which is not all that unlikely), that detail was the point of contention, not the name of the game itself.
The Champions did not become THE team (or even A team) in Champions until 4th edition and I'm pretty sure that the Marvel suit was before then.

[Enforcer84]

I thought it was when they changed the Guardians to the Champions for the original Champions comic.
But I don't follow this for poop.

[RexMundi]

I thought it was when they changed the Guardians to the Champions for the original Champions comic.
But I don't follow this for poop.

Likewise ..... Still got those comics in a box, hould dig them out and see how well they are holding up.

~Rex

[rjcurrie]

I thought it was when they changed the Guardians to the Champions for the original Champions comic.
But I don't follow this for poop.

Yeah. I guess you're right. I'll confess to thinking that within the game, there was no change until 4th ed. However I believe the lawsuit may have been before the comic book, but I'd have to look more into it.