Hero Quest 25 Anniversary (crowdfunding), the disillusion

[Cergorach]

It seems that a lot of folks don't know what's actually protected and not by IP law, let me give you a hint: It's not what companies making the IP's tell you what's theirs. GW is a good example of this, on of their last lawsuits on this matter against ChapterHouse Studio. Of all the items GW claimed as their own, a shocking amount of claims was dismissed... So much so that there was a huge new influx of new GW-compatible parts and minis and GW has pretty much kept silent...

The ownership of the Heroquest name is also a bloody mess and was no longer Hasbro's. It might be very possible that GZ had the rights to the name in Spain.

There have been many KS since then that have been greatly (and I mean greatly) 'inspired' by old Heroquest. Be it minis or actual games.

GZ has always been a bit messy for everyone outside of Spain, that this ended like this isn't that surprising. Especially what they offered at what price and in that specific material....

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

People talked about that in its day, in the past, and the question is there was no menace of lawsuit. I don't care the name, I wanted the boardgame with its miniatures and rules in my toy-shop.

 

[wingsandsword]

But Hasbro could publish a "spiritual succesor", with the name "Endless Quest" and almost identical game rules.

And Hasbro could talk with GW for toys based in Warhammer franchises.

Hasbro doesn't really let WotC make just one-off games anymore.

Haven't you noticed that it's been well over a decade since WotC made any game that wasn't part of a well-established brand? They made some games like that in the 2000's, like d20 Modern, but eventually stopped because those smaller niche games don't fit into Hasbro's corporate mindset.

Right now that means, for Wizards of the Coast, Dungeons and Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, Risk, and Axis and Allies. Even the 2010 re-release of Gamma World was officially branded as D&D Gamma World so it could fall under the D&D name.

It's extraordinarily unlikely that WotC will release a new version of HeroQuest, even if they had the help and permission of Games Workshop for the GW elements that were in the game. I'm saying this as someone who loved the old HQ and still have my set of it, a new version is just too entangled in legal and corporate restrictions to be anything remotely realistic.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Hasbro/WotC can publish its own dungeon-crawling boardgame, with simple rules for +7 children, and the leveling up would be only collecting gold coins to buy better item. Endless Quest is the name of the D&D game books by TSR, and then is copyright by Hasbro. Endless Quest can be only a subtile for the future D&D board-game.

Game Workshop? Don't worry, there is a meeting and we have got the crossover Transformers 40.000, and if they say "no" then crossover Transformers- Mutant Chronicles.

 

[atanakar]

Hasbro/WotC can publish its own dungeon-crawling boardgame, with simple rules for +7 children, and the leveling up would be only collecting gold coins to buy better item. Endless Quest is the name of the D&D game books by TSR, and then is copyright by Hasbro. Endless Quest can be only a subtile for the future D&D board-game.

Why would they do that? They already have five successful D&D quest boardgames for sale :

• Wrath of Asharladon
• Legends of Drizzt
• Castle Raventloft
• Temple of Elemental Evil
• Tomb of Annihilation

They also have: «Dungeon! is a fast-paced game where you and your friends can decide which way to go in the hunt for bigger and better treasure.»

If people want more meat they can just buy the 5e D&D Starter Set, 5e Essential Kit or the free 5e starter PDF.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I haven't forgotten those games, but these haven't got a true leveling up but "milestone". And the 5e Starter Set may be too complex for +12y children who haven't played yet.

 

[QuentinGeorge]

I actually think a transition game between Dungeon! the D&D Starter Set has value, if it has the production values of the old Hero Quest games. But that sort of kit is way more expensive these days.

 

[ced1106]

But Hasbro could publish a "spiritual succesor", with the name "Endless Quest" and almost identical game rules.

Late reply, but they did, with 1993 Dragon Strike game as HeroQuest's successor. Description says, "Dragon Strike takes the HeroQuest game play and goes a step further in a few directions: " Pretty obviously, DS is not well known as HQ. A BGG reviewer briefly explains why he thought DS did not succeed like HQ did.

Dragon Strike

Dragon Strike has similar game play to Milton Bradley's HeroQuest. One player acts as the "Dragon Master" (i.e., the DM) and controls the placement, movement, and action of the villains. The rest of the players control one of five different hero types (Warrior, Wizard, Thief, Elf, or Dwarf)...

boardgamegeek.com

And Hasbro could talk with GW for toys based in Warhammer franchises.

Dunno why they didn't. GW seems to at least be available nowadays for other companies to produce games based on GW properties. You could, at least until GW ceased Warhammer Fantasy, buy GW Warhammer miniatures of races, including Fimir at the time, found in HeroQuest.

 

[Cergorach]

Late reply, but they did, with 1993 Dragon Strike game as HeroQuest's successor.

Revisionism much? Dragon Strike was a TSR game, at the time TSR wasn't a Hasbro Company. Neither was WotC at that time. DS was known for the video it included, not the game(play). Compared to HQ the components were pretty bad.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

I miss a detail about gameplay and in HQ the PCs could earn money to later buy better item. The leveling up was not an automatic milestone.

TSR published D&D boardgames, but that board was not designed for the reutility.