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WotC Strikes Again: Patents the CSG
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<blockquote data-quote="CharlesRyan" data-source="post: 3543897" data-attributes="member: 5265"><p>Here are a few things to keep in mind before judging WotC's motives:</p><p></p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">WotC claims that their application is based on a game they developed--but didn't bring to market--back in 2002. I can vouch for that--l laid eyes on the game. And I'm not the only one--WotC unveiled the game to distributors at their annual conference before cancelling it later in the year.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">As others have pointed out, the patent application was filed in 2002--before PotSM came out, and many years before WizKids had announced Star Wars or WotC had announced Transformers.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The timing of the awarding of the patent isn't in WotC's hands. If you read Loren's comments on ICv2, it appears WotC learned of the award last month. The timing of the award, and WotC's announcement, near the release of SWPM and Transformers is, I think, purely coincidental.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">WotC already holds a patent for TCGs. Back when that was awarded, in 1995 or thereabouts, there was a lot of concern in the industry that they were going to shut everyone else down. They didn't.</li> </ul><p></p><p>[An aside: Some people are questioning the validity of the patent because of previous games that might be considered "constructible battle games." Don't get hung up on that term (which doesn't even appear in the patent). WotC's patent is much narrower, covering games that much more closely resemble the PotSM/SWPM/Transformers model. It's narrow enough that it might not even cover PotSM.]</p><p></p><p>Will WotC use this to shut down its competition? Maybe, but I'm guessing that would kill the category, which doesn't do anyone any good. More likely, they'll see it as a barrier to entry, which will restrict the number of players in the category and let WotC manage it better. In fact, if this indicates anything at all, it's that WotC is considering getting more seriously into the category--which should be a good thing for fans of this sort of game!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CharlesRyan, post: 3543897, member: 5265"] Here are a few things to keep in mind before judging WotC's motives: [list] [*]WotC claims that their application is based on a game they developed--but didn't bring to market--back in 2002. I can vouch for that--l laid eyes on the game. And I'm not the only one--WotC unveiled the game to distributors at their annual conference before cancelling it later in the year. [*]As others have pointed out, the patent application was filed in 2002--before PotSM came out, and many years before WizKids had announced Star Wars or WotC had announced Transformers. [*]The timing of the awarding of the patent isn't in WotC's hands. If you read Loren's comments on ICv2, it appears WotC learned of the award last month. The timing of the award, and WotC's announcement, near the release of SWPM and Transformers is, I think, purely coincidental. [*]WotC already holds a patent for TCGs. Back when that was awarded, in 1995 or thereabouts, there was a lot of concern in the industry that they were going to shut everyone else down. They didn't. [/list] [An aside: Some people are questioning the validity of the patent because of previous games that might be considered "constructible battle games." Don't get hung up on that term (which doesn't even appear in the patent). WotC's patent is much narrower, covering games that much more closely resemble the PotSM/SWPM/Transformers model. It's narrow enough that it might not even cover PotSM.] Will WotC use this to shut down its competition? Maybe, but I'm guessing that would kill the category, which doesn't do anyone any good. More likely, they'll see it as a barrier to entry, which will restrict the number of players in the category and let WotC manage it better. In fact, if this indicates anything at all, it's that WotC is considering getting more seriously into the category--which should be a good thing for fans of this sort of game! [/QUOTE]
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