MoP Talent Calculator Update, Blizzard vs Valve, LoLPro, Blue Posts, The Daily Blink

[Wyldfire]

The original DOTA is a fan made game in the Blizzard Warcraft III Map Editor. It was made using Blizzard created models, characters, maps, animations, and a Blizzard game. Like many of the other custom games that have been made in their various Map Editors, Blizzard has let the players have free reign and stayed out of interfering with them, basically, giving the players freedom to create what they want. Regardless, they were doing this with a Blizzard product. For anyone else to try to claim ownership or copyright of the newer version of a game made using Blizzard software and a Blizzard franchise is utterly ridiculous. Doubly so if "World Editor EULA requires Blizzard's prior written consent to use for any commercial purpose" is true.

[The Last DJ]

WoW Monopoly and Starcraft Risk. Aw yeah, top of the Christmas list. The Daily Blink is also pro, as per usual.

[LordRayken]

About god damn time another company stepped up to make Blizzard think twice about their shit.

[Azaril]

Regarding Valve v Blizzard, I'm not seeing Blizzard saying they want to prevent Valve from using the name DOTA, or any variation thereof. They just don't want Valve to trademark it. I'm not even seeing that Blizzard wants to trademark it themselves. As far as I can tell, Blizzard just wants the name to remain in the public space.

exactly. Blizzard believes that the name DoTA should remain in public domain. the problem is that it is in valves interests to trademark DoTA for a game with the same name. Since DoTA came way before valve, you would think this would be a slam dunk for blizzard, but as i said, new IP laws beg to differ.

[hammypants]

I don't pretend to have any legal knowledge, but it would be kind of silly if Valve could take the trademark for a game series that they've never made a product for until now. On an unrelated note, Starcraft Risk will be the best thing EVER. I'm totally buying that.

You're saying that new corporations/publishers/otherwise owners cannot trademark new game products. That seems silly to me.

Blizzard simply owns the mod and "Defense of the Ancients," not "DOTA."

[Caiada]

Regarding Valve v Blizzard, I'm not seeing Blizzard saying they want to prevent Valve from using the name DOTA, or any variation thereof. They just don't want Valve to trademark it. I'm not even seeing that Blizzard wants to trademark it themselves. As far as I can tell, Blizzard just wants the name to remain in the public space. I could be wrong, because I see the whole issue as too ridiculous to spend much time really reading up on it. But if my impression is right, I see nothing at all wrong with Blizzard's stance.

Yep, that's what I took it as as well. Blizzard's never tried to trademark anything to do with DotA, just, of course, the tools it was made with. Valve's trying to trademark it, when it really applies to a large variety of games.... I don't see how it'd be a problem if it was, for example, DotA 2 instead of just plain DotA as a series. They're sort of overstepping their boundaries, from what I'm reading.

---------- Post added 2012-02-11 at 12:48 AM ----------

You're saying that new corporations/publishers/otherwise owners cannot trademark new game products. That seems silly to me.

Blizzard simply owns the mod and "Defense of the Ancients," not "DOTA."

The thing is, somebody else has already used that name in correlation with a Blizzard product. Valve doesn't have much of a claim to it, where as Blizzard has years of having it a part of their community. Valve is seemingly trying to take it for themselves.

[Soeroah]

Reminds me of that situation where "ugg boots" was a generic Australian/New Zealand term for a type of footwear, and after 20+ years some American company decided to trademark the term.

[hammypants]

The thing is, somebody else has already used that name in correlation with a Blizzard product. Valve doesn't have much of a claim to it, where as Blizzard has years of having it a part of their community. Valve is seemingly trying to take it for themselves.

And the community has left them, quite willingly might I add. Not like Blizzard had any part in Dota outside of the world editor.

[Vengfulr3ap3r]

To the people saying that because they, the creator, used blizzards map editor and what not that they have the right to claim the product as their own even though it was a mod developed by the community. They dont. That is the same as saying because I develop software on a mac, using x software to compile the code that apple and x software company have the right to trademark the name because it got popular. Lol, And did they really just say they have *clears throat and quotes* "no simple or easy fix for this" concerning low pop servers? hahahah. They reallyyyyy dont want to merge servers do they? I mean I know it'll make them look pretty bad should they do it and all. But merging is really the only way to fix it.

Edit; Edited for clarification and correction.

[Simca]

You're saying that new corporations/publishers/otherwise owners cannot trademark new game products. That seems silly to me.

Blizzard simply owns the mod and "Defense of the Ancients," not "DOTA."

By naming the product "DOTA 2", they're acknowledging there was a DOTA 1. I'm saying they shouldn't be able to take the trademark for an existing series.

[phenom568]

The original DOTA is a fan made game in the Blizzard Warcraft III Map Editor. It was made using Blizzard created models, characters, maps, animations, and a Blizzard game. Like many of the other custom games that have been made in their various Map Editors, Blizzard has let the players have free reign and stayed out of interfering with them, basically, giving the players freedom to create what they want. Regardless, they were doing this with a Blizzard product. For anyone else to try to claim ownership or copyright of the newer version of a game made using Blizzard software and a Blizzard franchise is utterly ridiculous. Doubly so if "World Editor EULA requires Blizzard's prior written consent to use for any commercial purpose" is true.

As I understand it the name DOTA belongs technically to the creator of the mod who now works for valve. Blizzard doesn't own the name DOTA just the original DOTA project which is warcraft 3, and should be called warcraft 3. Now valve comes along and wants to make DOTA 2 with the original creator of DOTA and technically the name, and the name only, belongs to him. Blizzard then says hey lets make a warcraft DOTA and I don't believe its coincidence that they made this decision so close to DOTA 2. Strike while the iron is hot basically. Well valve takes offense to that because they are afraid, and rightfully so, that people will confuse blizzard DOTA with DOTA 2. Since we all love to break things down to simple terms DOTA will be used to describe them both and thus confuse the consumer. So valve wants a copyright to prevent the confusion and loss of cash. Blizzard is for whatever reason late to the game and believes no one owns the name.

Saying blizzard owns DOTA name would be like saying they own terms like Noob, trash, etc. They own the product which is warcraft 3 but do not own the name DOTA.

[Carstanan]

Blizzards doesn't understand why people are so angry about D3 release delay? They are pretending they don't know the reason? It's very simple! People thought they will be playing Diablo 3 while waiting for MOP release but paying for failed Cataclysm instead of just buying D3 and quiting Wow. And now they can't play D3 but they also can't quit Wow so they are locked to play crappy DS for another 2-5 months which makes Annual Pass profitable only for Blizzard but not players.

Though people still get a year long subscription to WoW and a copy of Diablo 3 whenever it releases (I don't seem to recall anything regarding a timeframe for that in the contract). The Annual Pass was a 1 year subscription plus Diablo 3 and some other stuff, and that is what people will receive. People's anger comes from the pushback of the release date, which has nothing to do with the Annual Pass. The original poster in that forum stated that the Annual Pass was "borderline FRAUD!", and Bashiok attempted to clear the air. If you only purchased the Annual Pass for the Diablo 3... well you shouldn't have done that. You are still getting exactly what you paid for though, and no reason to complain about the Annual Pass specifically.

[Deleted]

RISK: Starcraft.Damn. Going to buy this one for sure. Like the best bord game ever.

[Punks]

Who gives a fuck!!!!

Release Half Life 3 already!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

[yuca247]

Blizzards doesn't understand why people are so angry about D3 release delay? They are pretending they don't know the reason? It's very simple! People thought they will be playing Diablo 3 while waiting for MOP release but paying for failed Cataclysm instead of just buying D3 and quiting Wow. And now they can't play D3 but they also can't quit Wow so they are locked to play crappy DS for another 2-5 months which makes Annual Pass profitable only for Blizzard but not players.

That should teach those players not to go by assumptions next time, and Blizz didn't lock anyone into annual pass forcefully. Again, if players signed up for it under assumptions and didn't know exactly what they were signing up for they are the one to blame.

[Zoneseek]

Siding with valve on this one. Its user created content, and it was originally called defense of the agents DOTA is/was just an acronym. Blizzard trying to trademark that would be like i dunno, EA trying to trademark WTF because that acronym came from ultima online originally or something. Here's to Valve winning, seems like blizzard getting their panties in a bunch over something stupid.

[Caiada]

Siding with valve on this one. Its user created content, and it was originally called defense of the agents DOTA is/was just an acronym. Blizzard trying to trademark that would be like i dunno, EA trying to trademark WTF because that acronym came from ultima online originally or something. Here's to Valve winning, seems like blizzard getting their panties in a bunch over something stupid.

Blizzard isn't trying to trademark it; Valve is.

[Zoneseek]

Blizzard isn't trying to trademark it; Valve is.

Yeap. And?

[Mekanikos]

I'd say this would be along the lines of Bethesda getting uppity about Minecraft's little "Scrolls" thingy, if I remember correctly.

[DrRight]

I love Valve but I hope they lose this one. Trying to trademark DOTA is just wrong.