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Author Topic: Games Workshop has lost its mind  (Read 4680 times)

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Offline dutch206

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Games Workshop has lost its mind
« on: February 06, 2013, 07:21:28 PM »
Games Workshop has threatened to sue every single person who uses the phrase "Space Marines".  (I guess that includes the movies "Starship Troopers" and the Aliens franchise.)

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Offline Cory Magel

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2013, 08:34:28 PM »
You should read about Monster Cables and how they go after ANYTHING with the word "Monster" in it.  They were dumb enough to go after Disney for Monsters Inc and discovered they bit off more than they could chew...

Games Workshop isn't known for being all to nice anyhow.  While working in the industry full time I had RPG shop owners tell me how, once they started selling a lot of GW stuff, GW would open a store near them then cut them off.  Never got any first-hand verification of this, but I had three store owners that didn't know each other (not even in the same states) tell me the same thing.
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Offline mocking bird

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2013, 10:11:29 PM »
And I thought they lost their mind with the exorbitant prices for their Finecrap miniatures - but apparently people still buy more than one.  I like the paints and some of the minis are cool but at some point it hits the 'you have got to be kidding me' button.

But to prevent them being sued I did notice they spell it 'ork'...
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Offline rdanhenry

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #3 on: February 06, 2013, 11:14:57 PM »
Thanks. I wouldn't have done any business with GW anyway, but I was going to make a purchase through Amazon. Their support of the abuse of IP law just turned away at least one customer.
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Offline PhillipAEllis

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2013, 12:32:42 AM »
Quote from: Cory Magel on February 06, 2013, 08:34:28 PM
Games Workshop isn't known for being all to nice anyhow.  While working in the industry full time I had RPG shop owners tell me how, once they started selling a lot of GW stuff, GW would open a store near them then cut them off.  Never got any first-hand verification of this, but I had three store owners that didn't know each other (not even in the same states) tell me the same thing.

I can verify that tactic, as it happened in a university town while I was studying. The GW shop went out of business in less than 3 months, and they didn't try it again while I was there. I love angry customers....
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Offline markc

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2013, 05:49:11 AM »
 Boy not friendly at all. Maybe I will check out the website and see if there is a post on this.
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Offline dutch206

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #6 on: February 08, 2013, 08:47:38 AM »
How can they possibly try to claim ownership rights to a phrase that was used in Science Fiction long before they came into the picture?
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Offline markc

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2013, 09:58:55 AM »
  Just a note, I forgot that they had done away with their Forums back when. I thought about sending an email to customer service but then thought better than that.
  I wonder if they are going to come after SM:P and HARP Sci Fi? As IIRC both of them have Space Marines in them also.


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Offline peacekeeper_b

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2013, 10:13:06 AM »
Well I do think GW is insane and this will backfire on them (they cant legally do it by the term space marine, on their version of space marines) but I would like to point out that in Aliens they are Colonial Marines and in Starship Troopers they are Mobile Infantry.

But the sentiment is the same.
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Offline jdale

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2013, 10:22:45 AM »
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_marines has a nice history of the term. It also mentions the recent row, links an article about it http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21380003 and says Amazon restored http://www.amazon.com/Spots-Space-Marine-Defense-ebook/dp/B006MGJYOE.
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #10 on: February 08, 2013, 11:05:31 AM »
Yeah, this is really stupid - greed sucks.
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Offline NicholasHMCaldwell

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2013, 12:24:14 PM »
Quote from: markc on February 08, 2013, 09:58:55 AM
  Just a note, I forgot that they had done away with their Forums back when. I thought about sending an email to customer service but then thought better than that.
  I wonder if they are going to come after SM:P and HARP Sci Fi? As IIRC both of them have Space Marines in them also.


MDC

You'll note that HARP SF has Starsoldiers, not Space Marines, as the name of its relevant organisation and training package.

Best wishes,
Nicholas
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Offline peacekeeper_b

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2013, 12:52:19 PM »
I dont even use Space Marines in Dark Heresy. Hate them.

But I would go with Marines: Space Corps.

I am waiting for GW to sue the Russian Imperial Guard and Nepoleonic Imperial Guard units.
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Offline peacekeeper_b

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #13 on: February 08, 2013, 12:52:47 PM »
Quote from: NicholasHMCaldwell on February 08, 2013, 12:24:14 PM
Quote from: markc on February 08, 2013, 09:58:55 AM
  Just a note, I forgot that they had done away with their Forums back when. I thought about sending an email to customer service but then thought better than that.
  I wonder if they are going to come after SM:P and HARP Sci Fi? As IIRC both of them have Space Marines in them also.


MDC

You'll note that HARP SF has Starsoldiers, not Space Marines, as the name of its relevant organisation and training package.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

I may have to check out HARP SF for its background.
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Offline markc

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #14 on: February 08, 2013, 06:27:52 PM »
 That is good to know as it has been a while since I have had my head in the book.
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Offline Thom @ ICE

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #15 on: February 08, 2013, 08:19:32 PM »
Quote from: peacekeeper_b on February 08, 2013, 12:52:47 PM
Quote from: NicholasHMCaldwell on February 08, 2013, 12:24:14 PM
Quote from: markc on February 08, 2013, 09:58:55 AM
  Just a note, I forgot that they had done away with their Forums back when. I thought about sending an email to customer service but then thought better than that.
  I wonder if they are going to come after SM:P and HARP Sci Fi? As IIRC both of them have Space Marines in them also.


MDC

You'll note that HARP SF has Starsoldiers, not Space Marines, as the name of its relevant organisation and training package.

Best wishes,
Nicholas

I may have to check out HARP SF for its background.


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Offline Defendi

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Re: Games Workshop has lost its mind
« Reply #16 on: February 08, 2013, 10:50:35 PM »
I don't think I ever used "Space Marines" in SM:P either.  Just regular old marines, with different MOSs.  The ISCMC.
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