It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Community
General discussion (archive)Buying rights of games(5 posts)solved(5 posts)solved
(5 posts)solved
Pages:
1
This is my favourite topic
Posted August 01, 2010
Hey guys, there is something I want to learn.
Imagine an old game studio. A really old one, no longer active in the game biz and never rereleased their old games on newer systems. They released really big classics , for example Borderbund having released Prince of Persia.
Now, think of you want to buy the rights to the games, to be able to rerelease them or having them ported on newer system(GoG). Or even better, releasing an open source to the engine of the said game.
Now, my questions are those:
1.) Is there a difference if you buy the rights of the games or of the entire game studio? I mean, financially and juristically regarding rereleasing them?
2.) How do you find out how much the rights of a certain game(or engine/studio) do cost?
3.)If you buy the rights of an engine, do you technically own the games released by it, for example the Jade Engine (Beyond Good and Evil, Prince of Persia: SoT), or do you have to buy the rights of the said games before you can release an open source out of it?
4.) Let's say you bought the rights of an very old studio releasing games on a certain console (Snes,PSX) and you are rather eager to have it ported for the PC, and let GoG do the job. Does it happen you have to pay the GoG team to get your games ported on newer systems?
Those are my questions. Don't make your hopes up, I don't have the rights of any games. I am just curious.
This question / problem has been solved by michaelleungimage
Posted August 01, 2010
You buy the IP .
Posted August 01, 2010
avatar
Tantrix: 3.)If you buy the rights of an engine, do you technically own the games released by it, for example the Jade Engine (Beyond Good and Evil, Prince of Persia: SoT), or do you have to buy the rights of the said games before you can release an open source out of it?
4.) Let's say you bought the rights of an very old studio releasing games on a certain console (Snes,PSX) and you are rather eager to have it ported for the PC, and let GoG do the job. Does it happen you have to pay the GoG team to get your games ported on newer systems?
Those are my questions. Don't make your hopes up, I don't have the rights of any games. I am just curious.

3. No, the game itself is still copyrighted. HOWEVER, you could do source ports of the games that require the data files from the original game to run, Doom being a common example.
4. I don't think the GoG team has the resources to port console games to PC, especially since rights don't usually come with source code.
Posted August 01, 2010
1) Depends on what rights. Release rights? (Like those budget titles they sell in stores for cheap) Or actual game rights, including the IP itself, assets, and whatnot. If it's the latter, then it's not different to buying the game studio, in regards to that one IP.
2) IIRC it's probably in their financial statements/shareholder documents if the company is public (like EA). If not, then you can't ask them, because they won't tell you (unless you want to buy it).
3) No, the engine counts as intellectual property of its own but all derivatives of it do not count (because the engine itself is licensed to developers). For example, the Unreal Engine. You don't think Epic owns the rights to every Unreal Engine 3 game ever made, do you?
4) I think what happens there is that you could pay them to do it, or they could throw that in as an incentive to get your games on GOG. But that's if you have the code and you own the rights (obviously).
Post edited August 01, 2010 by michaelleung
Posted August 01, 2010
avatar
michaelleung: 1) Depends on what rights. Release rights? (Like those budget titles they sell in stores for cheap) Or actual game rights, including the IP itself, assets, and whatnot. If it's the latter, then it's not different to buying the game studio, in regards to that one IP.
2) IIRC it's probably in their financial statements/shareholder documents if the company is public (like EA). If not, then you can't ask them, because they won't tell you (unless you want to buy it).
3) No, the engine counts as intellectual property of its own but all derivatives of it do not count. For example, the Unreal Engine. You don't think Epic owns the rights to every Unreal Engine 3 game ever made, do you?
4) I think what happens there is that you could pay them to do it, or they could throw that in as an incentive to get your games on GOG. But that's if you have the code and you own the rights (obviously).

Thanks, those were the answers I have been looking.
Pages:
1
This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussion (archive)Buying rights of games(5 posts)solved(5 posts)solved
(5 posts)solved