So uh.....this concept isnt copyrighted?

[Te'Ryn Tec]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MechWarrior_(1989_video_game)

I used to play all the Mechwarriors back in the day.

Did you guys acquire the rights from activision to call the pilots mechwarriors?

Just curious.

 

[Zavia]

While this exact question may not have been answered in any Q&A, I'm fairly certain they are on strong legal standing on this issue.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BattleTech_(video_game)
The game shares a setting with the board game that launched the BattleTech franchise, Classic BattleTech, and many members of the development team have worked on previous games in the franchise. This includes both of the studio's co-founders; Jordan Weisman created the franchise while at FASA, and Mitch Gitelman was the producer for MechCommander and MechAssault.

 

[BigDamnHeroes]

Activision doesn’t own the rights..Activision was using them under license.

Edit: Mechwarriors as a term for the pilots predates Activision’s games by years.

 

[Te'Ryn Tec]

Activision doesn’t own the rights..Activision was using them under license.

I was a kid when the first one came out and played it and remember the publisher was activision...ive no idea who the current rights belong to but didnt see anyone named Jordan Weisman as a original developer of the mechwarrior games.

But i digress as i was just a kid. Just thought it interesting that battle tech looked exactly like mechwarrior, down to the name of the pilots being mechwarriors.

 

[BigDamnHeroes]

I was a kid when the first one came out and played it and remember the publisher was activision...ive no idea who the current rights belong to but didnt see anyone named Jordan Weisman as a original developer of the mechwarrior games.

But i digress as i was just a kid. Just thought it interesting that battle tech looked exactly like mechwarrior, down to the name of the pilots being mechwarriors.

Jordan created the tabletop RPG published by FASA, that was licensed to Activision to make the Mechwarrior series of games.. (essentially, there are some other companies in the picture too.but at the time, that’s the basics of it).

 

[Chaon]

Jordan Weisman is the father of Battletech and all other games/game systems that are based in that universe.

I am very sure that when he decided to make Battletech that he went to the companies who owned the rights and got the right to use Battletech, MechWarrior and everything else for the game.

 

[Te'Ryn Tec]

Jordan created the tabletop RPG published by FASA, that was licensed to Activision to make the Mechwarrior series of games.. (essentially, there are some other companies in the picture too.but at the time, that’s the basics of it).

Jordan Weisman is the father of Battletech and all other games/game systems that are based in that universe.

I am very sure that when he decided to make Battletech that he went to the companies who owned the rights and got the right to use Battletech, MechWarrior and everything else for the game.

Yep, just read all that. Good info. Never knew that as a kid(or now for that matter).

 

[Fox the Apprentice]

Speaking of legal issues...
Is there a thread on these new forums for the Harmony Gold court case?

 

[TomatoJuice]

The Battletech/MechWarrior Video game rights are owned by Microsoft.

Let's just be happy that they did not fore a Win Store only policy.

 

[TaurianMerc]

Speaking of legal issues...
Is there a thread on these new forums for the Harmony Gold court case?

There was, it is now locked.
It has been politely requested that we do not discuss the ongoing case on the official forum. There are other sites out there, not frequented by those directly affected, and you can engage in free discourse there

 

[kerensky-VII]

Speaking of legal issues...
Is there a thread on these new forums for the Harmony Gold court case?

no, and the mods have asked that we refrain from discussing it here.

 

[Timaeus]

Speaking of legal issues...
Is there a thread on these new forums for the Harmony Gold court case?

Greetings Fox,
As others have said there isn't one, and at this time we're requesting everyone to just hold tight on discussing it until everything gets situated from moving over.
Thank you for you understanding.
Timaeus

 

[LGear]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MechWarrior_(1989_video_game)

I used to play all the Mechwarriors back in the day.

Did you guys acquire the rights from activision to call the pilots mechwarriors?

Just curious.

I'm pretty sure that the original Battletech tabletop game has referred to pilots as "Mechwarriors" back then. Activision then took the "Mechwarrior" term, and used it as the title of their game series.

 

[stjobe]

Quite apart from licensing issues (which, to be honest is a mess with this IP), FASA published its first version of the pen-and-paper MechWarrior: The BattleTech Roleplaying Game in 1986, three years before the Activision game.

Production manager of the FASA MechWarrior RPG was a certain Jordan K. Wiseman...

 

[Mojo Amok]

I'm pretty sure that the original Battletech tabletop game has referred to pilots as "Mechwarriors" back then. Activision then took the "Mechwarrior" term and used it as the title of their game series.

You're right, it did call pilots Mechwarriors. But, Activision didn't even create the idea of a game called Mechwarrior, never even minding the term - that already existed as a pen and paper RPG in 1986:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MechWarrior_(role-playing_game)

To the OP - Activision has a place in promoting the franchise, but really did nothing in the creation phase.

This is a good History of Battletech if anyone's interested.

 

[Gauntlet]

You're right, it did call pilots Mechwarriors. But, Activision didn't even create the idea of a game called Mechwarrior, never even minding the term - that already existed as a pen and paper RPG in 1986:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MechWarrior_(role-playing_game)

To the OP - Activision has a place in promoting the franchise, but really did nothing in the creation phase.

This is a good History of Battletech if anyone's interested.

I think I still have that exact book in one of my old gaming trunks . . .

 

[stjobe]

I think I still have that exact book in one of my old gaming trunks . . .

I know I do!

 

[Flying Dice]

Yep. For the uninitiated, BattleTech was the tabletop wargame where you played a lance of big stompy 'mechs in tactical battles against other players' lances. MechWarrior was the tabletop RPG where you played a MechWarrior who spent a good deal of time piloting a big stompy 'mech and the rest of it in typical P&P shenanigans. Both predate the various series of vidya by a good long while, both because they were the originals and because they were created before home PCs were more than an extreme niche market with really weak hardware.

 

[RealCadaver]

Jordan Weisman is the father of Battletech and all other games/game systems that are based in that universe.

I am very sure that when he decided to make Battletech that he went to the companies who owned the rights and got the right to use Battletech, MechWarrior and everything else for the game.

So, when are we going to get a reboot of "Renegade Legion", played that old SSI game to death. Had the original box and all up until a few years ago.

Never played Battletech, was on vacation in N.O. back in the 80s and picked up CityTech and the 3025 book and began the long ascent (or descent depending on your point of view).

 

[Chaon]

Yep, I remember renegade Legion. The various weapons in that were so different. I loved playing that.

It would be nice to see a reboot of that game. Maybe in success.