79 replies to this topic

[C E Dwyer]

Zolaz, on 10 August 2016 - 12:18 PM, said:

PGI has stated over and over that they do not have the rights to sell Battletech merchandise. However, HS has all kinds of Battletech swag offered with their game. HS can offer Founders and Backer rewards with jackets, patches and caps but PGI is unable to do so?

Because HBS can't either.

They had limited rights to produce 'swag' for the backer kits, that was all. They are in the process of trying to finalise a deal where they can though.

[zagibu]

Appogee, on 10 August 2016 - 12:32 PM, said:

I was really tempted to get a jacket. But it didn't age-appropriate for me to ever wear one

Who cares about such minor obstacles?

[ScarecrowES]

dervishx5, on 10 August 2016 - 12:54 PM, said:

Yeah Metus got it right. The licensing is split between multiple companies.

That's why independent people on Facebook and so forth are making a killing with unlicensed miniatures and products.

Illegal AF, by the way.

I've only the license holders for Battletech exercised their rights as fervently as Harmony Gold did over the unseens, we'd have licensed BT swag all over the place.

[Agent 0 Fortune]

HBS is supposedly in talks with Topps for merch licensing to sell hats, jackets, key-chains, etc. The same stuff they awarded to premium backers.
PGI could probably just sell their ****** mecpack icons on hats without anyone permission, but the house emblems are licensed through Topps.

[DeamoBD]

Yeah would be cool if PGI could. But this is PGI so probably, you want an Atlas or Dire Wolf shirt? That will be $60, some light mech $15.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Damocles, on 10 August 2016 - 12:21 PM, said:

Two different companies two different license agreements? /boggle?

Yeah. As far as I understand it, one of the guys working with Harebrained Schemes is one of the founders of the original Battletech game. I bet you he retained the rights to use any and all of the material he created as he desired which means he may very well have full rights to everything about Battletech, top to bottom. PGI on the other hand only has the rights to use resources from Battletech on a very specific basis for very specific reasons or what I believe they would call a limited license.

[TKSax]

So I actually talked about this Russ on twitter and he confirmed the HBS and PGI have the same license deal. HBS if "giving" or "rewarding" the merchandise as being a backer. PGI could do the same if they wanted to, they just have chosen not to. I personally agree with them. They are a software company, not a merchandise company. HBS has said probably will not offer Merchandise again as a reward for this HBS Battletech game, as shown by how they just did the most recent way to back the game. (Depending on any talk with Topps/Catalyst)

Here is the tweet about their licensing agreement.
https://twitter.com/...359180344274945

Edited by TKSax, 10 August 2016 - 06:06 PM.

[Davers]

Who wouldn't want t-shirts with Alex's art as a reward? I would love to see those reimagined Clan logos on a jacket or hat. Put some of those as prizes in the supply crates and watch them sell.

[Zolaz]

HS is selling blueprints and manuals ...

https://battletech.b...osted_preorders

[Bishop Steiner]

Zolaz, on 10 August 2016 - 07:28 PM, said:

HS is selling blueprints and manuals ...

https://battletech.b...osted_preorders

they have the license to. PGI don't. Also I believe almost all those manuals are back catalogue, not current print material, aside from CGL, aside from maybe the TRO 3039. I believe most of those are second ed books, aren't they? I don't think any of those are CGL produced sourbebooks, etc.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 10 August 2016 - 07:41 PM.

[Novakaine]

If I could I'd buy a mini for each of our battlemechs.
Hehe still playing tabletop.
What a shame.

[Dino Might]

I would love to buy a shirt/hoodie with a Locust (PGI incarnation) in huge print on the back and "LCT" in small letters on the front above the area where a pocket would be. How illegal would it be to get one of those printed...

Edited by Dino Might, 10 August 2016 - 07:50 PM.

[LordKnightFandragon]

Umm, because Jordan is literally the inventor of Battletech? How could he possibly NOT be able to sell the very thing he invented?

[Metus regem]

LordKnightFandragon, on 10 August 2016 - 08:16 PM, said:

Umm, because Jordan is literally the inventor of Battletech? How could he possibly NOT be able to sell the very thing he invented?

Because he's not the owner of the rights to the IP?

[Figure 11]

LordKnightFandragon, on 10 August 2016 - 08:16 PM, said:

Umm, because Jordan is literally the inventor of Battletech? How could he possibly NOT be able to sell the very thing he invented?

You can sell the rights to your own intellectual property and thus lose the right to develop or profit from it?

[Karl Marlow]

Why can NGNG sell mechwarrior stuff and PGI can't?

Edited by ThomasMarik, 10 August 2016 - 09:01 PM.

[CycKath]

Bishop Steiner, on 10 August 2016 - 07:40 PM, said:

they have the license to. PGI don't. Also I believe almost all those manuals are back catalogue, not current print material, aside from CGL, aside from maybe the TRO 3039. I believe most of those are second ed books, aren't they? I don't think any of those are CGL produced sourbebooks, etc.

HB offering CGL's Shadowrun and BattleTech stuff is closer to CGL chipping in stuff to the Kickstarters was to be nice to old friends like Jordan and to serve as "TT games still exist yo" advertising. Similar reason CGL helps out PGI with lore and offered them BattleTech Primer.

[TKSax]

ThomasMarik, on 10 August 2016 - 09:01 PM, said:

Why can NGNG sell mechwarrior stuff and PGI can't?

Becuase they commission their own artist to make the drawings.

[Karl Marlow]

TKSax, on 10 August 2016 - 09:10 PM, said:

Becuase they commission their own artist to make the drawings.

Then what is stopping PGI from making merchandise from their artwork?

I'm not personally interested in buying mugs or shirts. I just find it odd thatntheu couldn't offer this kind of stuff when everyone else appears to be able too.

[CycKath]

ThomasMarik, on 10 August 2016 - 09:31 PM, said:

Then what is stopping PGI from making merchandise from their artwork?

NGNG are relying on the same thing those who print MWO miniatures do to avoid getting smacked down - that the rights holder isn't Harmony Gold's old level of "attack anything that moves" hyper-vigilant for copyright abuse and isn't actively chasing them because they are too low volume. Now if they produced and sold untold millions of shirts and mugs then Microsoft or Topps might sit up and take notice and slam them with a cease and desist...