WotC launches Avalon Hill organised play program
- Thread starter Krug
- Start date
Ayrk
First Post
Unfortunately they can't. The rights to those games are an incredible quagmire. I don't remember who currently has the rights to it (at one time Microprose of all things did).
I do know that a french company recently put out Civ and it is being carried by either Rio Grande Games or Eurogames.
Bottom line is that Avalon Hill does not have the rights anymore.
I do know that a french company recently put out Civ and it is being carried by either Rio Grande Games or Eurogames.
Bottom line is that Avalon Hill does not have the rights anymore.
This is a pretty cool idea. I've always felt the great hurdle for these games is justifying the purchase, if you aren't sure you'll like it or you can't find others players. A "try before you buy" may very well help open the doors to what otherwise can lead to a darn expensive mistake.
Jibril Rashad
First Post
Ayrk said:
Atari(formerly Infogrames - may still be known as Infogrames outside the US)hold the rights, since it bought them when it acquired Hasbro Interactive (Hasbro itself bought out Avalon Hill, but sold the rights to the name Civilization off with its interactive division). They are under the impression that reprinting the old Avalon Hill Civ would dilute the brand of their computer game franchise here in the States.
They didn't feel the same fear in the European market, so they allowed Eurogames to use the name and reprint the game. "Sid Meier's Civilization: The Board Game," in Atari/Infogrames' opinion, supported the brand of the computer game franchise, and allowed Eagle Games to produce it, along with other, upcoming board games based on computer games. As opposed to this first one, a board game based on a computer game based on a board game.
Edit: Oops- used my CoC PbP ID by mistake. Maerdwyn here.
Last edited:
As I understand it, the rights to Civ go something like this:
1. Gibson Games creates the original Civilization game.
2. Avalon Hill licenses it and releases it to a larger public with a few minor tweaks.
3. Avalon Hill creates Advanced Civilization.
4. Avalon Hill goes bankrupt and loses the rights to Civ (which return to Gibson Games).
5. Gibson Games releases a new edition of "classic" Civilization.
6. Some other company creates a boardgame based on the computer game Civilization.
The problem with Advanced Civilization is that it was made by Avalon Hill and thus owned by them, but it is derivative of original Civilization. Since AH don't have the rights to Civ any more, they can't release it. Since Gibson Games didn't make Advanced Civ, they can't release it either.
1. Gibson Games creates the original Civilization game.
2. Avalon Hill licenses it and releases it to a larger public with a few minor tweaks.
3. Avalon Hill creates Advanced Civilization.
4. Avalon Hill goes bankrupt and loses the rights to Civ (which return to Gibson Games).
5. Gibson Games releases a new edition of "classic" Civilization.
6. Some other company creates a boardgame based on the computer game Civilization.
The problem with Advanced Civilization is that it was made by Avalon Hill and thus owned by them, but it is derivative of original Civilization. Since AH don't have the rights to Civ any more, they can't release it. Since Gibson Games didn't make Advanced Civ, they can't release it either.
Dalin the Monk
First Post
Maerdwyn
First Post
Staffan said:
I'm now pretty sure it's a combination of my previous post (which did contain some errors - thanks for setting me straight on the record) and yours. The rights to the game itself went back to Gibson Games. Hasbro, and later Infogrames/Atari however, owns the trademark to the game *name* "Civilization." As a result of a settlement between Microprose, Activision, and Avalon Hill. The trademark went to Microprose, and then to Hasbro, and then to Infogrames.
Gibson Games could theoretically publish an English version of classic Civ, but in order to call it "Civilization" they would have to license or get permission to use the name from Infogrames, who would refuse. Thus, all we have available right now in the US is the French version of the game, titled "Civilisation".
Anyway, back to the original topic, I'm glad to see some more interest in the Avalon hill games by Hasbro, and I think turning them over to WotC is a good move. I'm sure i'll be signing up to run some demos sometime soon.
Having Republic of Rome be one of the three Avalon Hill games released next year is too much to hope for I suppose.
Similar Threads
