Most Recent News on Certain Legal Issues

[Max_Killjoy]

That's not a Marauder, dang it.

 

[Rifter]

That's not a Marauder, dang it.

No it isnt, and since they were going to get sued anyways, there was no point in changing the design, they were either going to win in court and be allowed to use it, or they were going to loose and not be allowed to use it.

Im just happy they eventually won. I just hope PGI's win translates into HBS's win.

 

[stjobe]

IMO that exactly what happened here, insanity, they tried the same thing over again, and expected different results, even when all evidence pointed to the same thing happening. And guess what, the same thing happened.

I don't know if you (plural you) remember, but some years back both PGI and CGL simultaneously started publishing new designs for the Unseen 'Mechs; a bold move I thought then, that was sure to draw HG's litigious ire, especially since they'd already forced the take-down of the original MechWarrior video from PGI.

However, nothing much happened - it turned out that what I at least didn't know was that HG were busy with other legal matters at that time - matters involving both Big West and Tatsunoko. Those legal matters didn't turn out well for HG, if I've understood things properly.

It was only when those other legal matters were settled that they turned around and sued PGI, CGL, and HBS - one might wonder why they would do that if the previous legal kerfluffle hadn't been successful? My guess is that it was (is?) a last-ditch attempt to squeeze some money out of the (likely non-existing) license before the truth came out, that they had no legal leg to stand on, and possibly that they never had.

Did it succeed? Well, we don't really know. But it is telling that they agreed to drop the case against IMR who had already defaulted - it would have been a mere formality for them to get damages from IMR had they just pushed on and not dropped that part of the case. But they didn't, and as I see it that can only mean one of two things:

1. Either PGI successfully showed that HG indeed has no legal leg to stand on, and forced them to agree to dismissal with prejudice (or PGI would push the case to its resolution and what would probably mean a costly loss for HG - as well as more legal costs for PGI, which is why they wanted to end the case). The "agreement" that keeps being mentioned is just that everyone pays their own legal costs.

2. Or PGI paid HG enough to make it not worth squeezing IMR for some extra damages, hence why they agreed to drop the case against them to.

To my mind, the first is much more likely than the latter; PGI isn't (all that) rich and HG has never backed away from making (ill-earned) money before. The only reason I can see them dropping the case against IMR is that PGI threatened to continue the case and force a judgement, in which case HG would more than likely lose and be liable for all parties' legal fees - a tidy sum, most likely. Not to mention they'd open themselves up to legal action for all the suits they've brought over the years while claiming to have a license they might not in fact have ever had.

Anyway. That's my two cents, and I'm very, very far from being a legal expert, much less on U.S. copyright law.

 

[Rifter]

I don't know if you (plural you) remember, but some years back both PGI and CGL simultaneously started publishing new designs for the Unseen 'Mechs; a bold move I thought then, that was sure to draw HG's litigious ire, especially since they'd already forced the take-down of the original MechWarrior video from PGI.

However, nothing much happened - it turned out that what I at least didn't know was that HG were busy with other legal matters at that time - matters involving both Big West and Tatsunoko. Those legal matters didn't turn out well for HG, if I've understood things properly.

It was only when those other legal matters were settled that they turned around and sued PGI, CGL, and HBS - one might wonder why they would do that if the previous legal kerfluffle hadn't been successful? My guess is that it was (is?) a last-ditch attempt to squeeze some money out of the (likely non-existing) license before the truth came out, that they had no legal leg to stand on, and possibly that they never had.

Did it succeed? Well, we don't really know. But it is telling that they agreed to drop the case against IMR who had already defaulted - it would have been a mere formality for them to get damages from IMR had they just pushed on and not dropped that part of the case. But they didn't, and as I see it that can only mean one of two things:

1. Either PGI successfully showed that HG indeed has no legal leg to stand on, and forced them to agree to dismissal with prejudice (or PGI would push the case to its resolution and what would probably mean a costly loss for HG - as well as more legal costs for PGI, which is why they wanted to end the case). The "agreement" that keeps being mentioned is just that everyone pays their own legal costs.

2. Or PGI paid HG enough to make it not worth squeezing IMR for some extra damages, hence why they agreed to drop the case against them to.

To my mind, the first is much more likely than the latter; PGI isn't (all that) rich and HG has never backed away from making (ill-earned) money before. The only reason I can see them dropping the case against IMR is that PGI threatened to continue the case and force a judgement, in which case HG would more than likely lose and be liable for all parties' legal fees - a tidy sum, most likely. Not to mention they'd open themselves up to legal action for all the suits they've brought over the years while claiming to have a license they might not in fact have ever had.

Anyway. That's my two cents, and I'm very, very far from being a legal expert, much less on U.S. copyright law.

This is essentially the whole issue. We never know what the outcome of the legal issues are because they are always hidden and no one is allowed to comment on them. Which leads to lots of guessing. All we know for sure i think is 2-3 more years and this wont be an issue(HG looses rights in 2021 i believe). And that no game since the late 80's has had the unseen in it untill PGI went all YOLO with them, all due to HG's BS legal tactics.

 

[stjobe]

This is essentially the whole issue. We never know what the outcome of the legal issues are because they are always hidden and no one is allowed to comment on them. Which leads to lots of guessing. All we know for sure i think is 2-3 more years and this wont be an issue(HG looses rights in 2021 i believe). And that no game since the late 80's has had the unseen in it untill PGI went all YOLO with them, all due to HG's BS legal tactics.

For all we know, PGI and CGL might have gotten wind of HG's loss against Big West/Tatsunoko, and that is why they felt comfortable with releasing the new models. I mean they can't sue if they don't have the license, right? Wrong

 

[Rifter]

For all we know, PGI and CGL might have gotten wind of HG's loss against Big West/Tatsunoko, and that is why they felt comfortable with releasing the new models. I mean they can't sue if they don't have the license, right? Wrong

That may well be the case, or russ just has huge cojones. Either way at least the outcome was positive, for PGI.

 

[Prussian Havoc]

...I’ve always enjoyed waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We know, what we know.

I am eager to see where we go from here.

 

[stjobe]

That may well be the case, or russ just has huge cojones. Either way at least the outcome was positive, for PGI.

And IMR/CGL. They got off scot-free without even incurring any legal fees. This, to my mind, is the most damning indication that HG lost, and lost big.

And therefore I don't think it's unreasonable to believe the resolution to the case will be positive for HBS too.

 

[Rifter]

...I’ve always enjoyed waiting for the other shoe to drop.

We know, what we know.

I am eager to see where we go from here.

Me too, I feel like starting a poll thread.

What will happen first, HBS making a announcement about the unseen, or HBS drops unseen DLC without making an announcement.

 

[stjobe]

Me too, I feel like starting a poll thread.

As a moderator, I must ask you to please not do that

 

[theliel]

Things to consider: it is common in settlements to include convents not to sue; neither side admits the other's claim but agree to not pursue action.

If we see the unseen in battletech then we know something like that was reached. You generally would not accept a license from someone you were arguing didn't have one, for example, but you can agree to both just do your thing and they do theirs.

How robust that is, and what it covers, will only be discovered in the fullness of time.

 

[Havamal]

Greetings Mechwarriors,

Please resist the urge for excessive speculation.

Please let's not build things up too much until more info comes to light.

Thank you.

 

[Curuno]

And IMR/CGL. They got off scot-free without even incurring any legal fees. This, to my mind, is the most damning indication that HG lost, and lost big.

And therefore I don't think it's unreasonable to believe the resolution to the case will be positive for HBS too.

Overall it does suggest positive news overall. I'm okay with hanging back and waiting to see how it all shakes out. Speculation seems a bit premature, but we can all hope

 

[BWL Alpha]

And IMR/CGL. They got off scot-free without even incurring any legal fees. This, to my mind, is the most damning indication that HG lost, and lost big.

And therefore I don't think it's unreasonable to believe the resolution to the case will be positive for HBS too.

That's a pretty good assumption on your part. HG saved face by this outcome at best. The nail in this suit was the outcome of the Big West/Tatsunoko. According to YouTuberLaw, that left HG without any legal standing regarding the "41" characters in question.

 

[Icewraith]

I just hope we know what’s up soon. I’m tempted to reinstall MWO and go drop some money on PGI if we get the Marauder et al in Battletech.

 

[Pherdnut]

So wait. I'm failing at Google. Has something new happened since the case dismissal against HBS in April?

 

[Havamal]

So wait. I'm failing at Google. Has something new happened since the case dismissal against HBS in April?

Not your fault. Rowdy Mechwarriors are not satisfactorily avoiding flooding the thread with distraction and chaff thus drowning the data posts that are the point of the thread.

Here's a link
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...in-legal-issues.1088504/page-38#post-24411332

 

[Pherdnut]

Not your fault. Rowdy Mechwarriors are not satisfactorily avoiding flooding the thread with distraction and chaff thus drowning the data posts that are the point of the thread.

Here's a link
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...in-legal-issues.1088504/page-38#post-24411332

Ah, thanks for the link. It was hard to know how far back it went. And now the sleepless nights of wondering what the heck "classic" could mean in the best/worst case scenarios.

 

[Justin Kase]

Not your fault. Rowdy Mechwarriors are not satisfactorily avoiding flooding the thread with distraction and chaff thus drowning the data posts that are the point of the thread.

Here's a link
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...in-legal-issues.1088504/page-38#post-24411332

So, business as usual then?

 

[Havamal]

So, business as usual then?

:shrugs: Nervous energy and waiting are not easy for brave and impetuous warriors.