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Baldur's Gate rights?

qwert_44643qwert_44643 Member Posts: 311
in Archive (General Discussion)
Did Atari sell the rights so that work could continue on bgee or not?

Comments

  • rdarkenrdarken Member Posts: 660
    No new information yet.
  • leeho730leeho730 Member Posts: 285
    edited August 2013
    Tricky situation.

    Atari SA (France HQ) owns Atari Inc (American Div) and Hasbro (owns WotC right).
    Hasbro issues licence for WotC material to Overhaul/Beamdog through Atari Inc. Fairly easy since Atari SA owns Hasbro as well as Atari Inc so no prob.
    Now Atari Inc wants to become solo Atari SA freezes association between Hasbro and Atari Inc.

    The "publishing partner" Overhaul mentioned would be Atari Inc. Atari Inc does not own WotC franchise.

    So if Atari Inc's bid succeeds, then Atari SA would issue licence to Atari Inc then Atari Inc would issue licence to Beamdog/Overhaul. Will raise licence cost and will thus increase prices of subsequent EE games. *SIGH*
  • DeeDee Member Posts: 10,447
    Atari SA doesn't own Hasbro. Hasbro is their own company (they do own WotC, though).
  • DurenasDurenas Member Posts: 508
    leeho730, your post is laden with inaccuracies. It's a bad idea to spread info you have no direct knowledge of.
  • TJ_HookerTJ_Hooker Member Posts: 2,438
    edited August 2013
    Tyranus said:

    Atari : Hey guys! We need money! Want to buy our old games?!

    Beamdog : Hey guys! We can sell 100k copies overnight!

    Atari : Cool bro! Here you go!

    Beamdog : Thanks man! Here's your royalty from 100k!

    Atari : Thanks!

    Atari : Hey guys! We need more money! Want to buy our old games?

    Beamdog : Wait... what?

    Atari : Fuck you. PS - stop making money, you're making us look bad

    That's pretty much the jist of it so far....

    I realize that you're probably just being humorous, but I just want to point out, for the sake of those who haven't been following the story and might take this account somewhat seriously, that this isn't accurate at all.

    Sincerely,

    Buzz Killington
  • DurenasDurenas Member Posts: 508
    Don't be such a buzzkill.
  • SCARY_WIZARDSCARY_WIZARD Member Posts: 1,438
    *squeezes bridge of nose*
    *sharp inhale*
    Ahh...
    *sharp inhale*
    Ahh...
    *sharp inhale*
    Ahh...
  • leeho730leeho730 Member Posts: 285
    Did Atari SA sell the Hasbro Interactive? That's new information. Source?

    The source for my information is "Infogrames Entertainment Corporate Profile and Annual Report"

    http://web.archive.org/web/20071127234614/http://corporate.infogrames.com/MT-3.34-en/mt-static/FCKeditor/UserFiles/File/DOCDEREF05_06GB.pdf

    Page 6:

    "The Group also acquired title to the Atari name, recognized worldwide as synonymous with interactive entertainment, through its 2001
    purchase of Hasbro Interactive, the interactive games division of Hasbro Inc. In May 2003, all of the Group's businesses adopted the
    Atari name. Accordingly, the US-based and NASDAQ-traded Infogrames Inc. became Atari Inc. (symbol: ATAR). On the other hand,
    Infogrames Entertainment, the Group’s parent corporation, kept its name and ISIN Euronext code unchanged (FR-0000052573)."


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Oops... My mistake, Atari bought Hasbro Interactive, not Hasbro itself. I stand corrected.

    Thus.

    Atari SA holds licence to D&D.

    Pages 5:
    "As of March 31, 2006, the Group owned many popular franchises, such as Driver, Backyard, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Alone in the Dark,
    and Test Drive. The Group also develops and publishes software based on key international licenses, including Matrix, Dragon Ball Z
    and Dungeons and Dragons. Infogrames also offers products based on licenses aimed at families and children such as: Titeuf, Asterix, etc. Infogrames also holds the licenses to ten major Hasbro franchises, including Dungeons and Dragons, Monopoly, Scrabble, and
    Risk. The Dungeons and Dragons rights have been licensed to Infogrames for ten years and those of the nine other franchises for
    seven years, in formats for cell phones, the Internet (online games) and interactive television. "

    So Atari SA still holds licence to D&D franchise, am I correct? And since I believe Beamdog did business through Atari Inc (which is of course natural choice, since it is located in America and is a division of Atari SA; it is a common business practice), and now Atari Inc wants to disassociate itself from Atari SA in France (by filing bankruptcy), basically D&D licences issued for "interactive division (which includes games)" in America/Canada is in limbo?
  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    http://www.gamepolitics.com/2011/08/15/atari-settles-dampd-dispute-delays-neverwinter-game#.UgS0NBb0im4

    "As part of the settlement agreement, Hasbro will regain control of the digital licensing rights to the Dungeons & Dragons franchise while Atari will still be able to sell and develop a selection of games under the license including its recently released Dungeons & Dragons: Daggerdale and the upcoming Facebook game Heroes of Neverwinter."
  • leeho730leeho730 Member Posts: 285
    edited August 2013
    Thanks Cerevant.

    I suppose then we won't know the real situation as to why there is a hold-up? Beamdog must have acquired licence to D&D material through Hasbro? And Trent Oster tweeted that "We are completely not affected by the Atari bankruptcy. Recent dealings make a lot more sense now."

    And Trent also said:

    "Atari is going through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. This doesn't really affect us as we are self-funded.
    We are still doing updates to the code and still working on BG2. We will continue to post updates to Beamdog, iTunes and additional stores as they come on line. Atari is responsible for Steam and all other PC distribution other than Beamdog. We will continue to provide Atari with new builds as we roll them out and we hope they can update all their distributors in a reasonable timeline.

    Best,
    -Trent"

    (http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/14976/what-impact-will-atari-s-bankruptcy-have-on-the-future-of-these-remakes-and-the-elusive-bg-3)

    But then again,

    "Our issue is not related in any way with the Wizards fellows. We went down to visit them a few short weeks ago and we all get along smashingly well. 
    I'm not giving up on this, we're trying on a daily basis to resolve the situation and we will continue to work towards a resolution until it is solved.

    -Trent"

    (http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/324508/#Comment_324508)

    And,

    "It all comes down to the terms of the business deal. We are on the hook for two products, BG:EE and BG2:EE. So for now, we make two products. Down the road we'll likely try to convince everyone to do a all in one version. Can't see this happening for a while though. With Atari's bankruptcy, all new ideas are on hold until it shakes out."

    (http://forum.baldursgate.com/discussion/comment/248671/#Comment_248671)

    And Atari Inc is still selling BG:EE through Steam and its own online shop (http://www.atari.com/buy-games/rpg/baldurs-gate-enhanced-edition-0).

    So I recon Atari SA or Atari Inc blocked Beamdog from selling or developing D&D games until bankruptcy issues would be resolved for whatever the reason (might be greed, or to avoid complicated legal issues) while it continues to sell the game through its own distribution? And so Overhaul/Beamdog cannot even post updates to BGEE now. iOS version was also being sold by Beamdog at AppStore so it would make sense that Beamdog would stop selling iOS version at AppStore. Funny since one can still buy Baldur's Gate audio books at iTunes Store!

    Bugger. I was so looking forward to see BG2:EE (and hopefully BGT:EE) and possibly IWD/IWD2/PST:EE...
    Post edited by leeho730 on
  • qwert_44643qwert_44643 Member Posts: 311
    so what does all this mean in layman terms?
  • leeho730leeho730 Member Posts: 285
    Short version: No, Atari didn't sell the right to license D&D for games, they lost it to Hasbro in August 2011. But I believe Beamdog/Overhaul obtained licences for BG:EE and BG2:EE from Atari before Atari lost the right. Hence Trent Oster describing those two games as being "on the hook".

    Atari stopped Beamdog/overhaul from touching D&D materials at all in June 2013. "Contractual issues" are the official reason. They continue to sell BG:EE and make sure they're the only one selling the game.
    On the other hand, Hasbro, who actually own the D&D materials, have absolutely no problem Beamdog/Overhaul making games using their materials (they actually love it, according to Trent Oster).

    So who to blame? Atari probably. Why did they do it? God knows.


    Other than that, wild, meaningless guesses. Like gossip in women's magazines regarding celebrities.
  • rdarkenrdarken Member Posts: 660
    One thing I don't understand is how Overhaul can be on the hook for two games, but Atari is telling them not to release the second game.

    Anyway, it's not over, BG:EE and BG2:EE are not dead.
  • CerevantCerevant Member Posts: 2,314
    One clarification:

    "Atari will still be able to sell and develop a selection of games under the license"

    The selection includes Baldur's Gate, IWD and I believe Planescape:Torment
  • rdarkenrdarken Member Posts: 660
    Ah, if only BG:EE hadn't come out before the bankruptcy. They're just scrambling to keep something that's only successful because of someone else's work. #bitter
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    And here's me, wondering how any of us that aren't privy to any details whatsoever, could post anything that couldn't be accused of inaccuracies. Especially given that the accuser doesn't know what is/isn't accurate, either! I try to take all of this with a grain of salt that derives from that lack of omniscience.

    #buzzcompletelykilled
  • IchigoRXCIchigoRXC Member Posts: 1,001
    @reedmilfam you are not omniscient? ;)
  • leeho730leeho730 Member Posts: 285
    Cerevant said:

    One clarification:

    "Atari will still be able to sell and develop a selection of games under the license"

    The selection includes Baldur's Gate, IWD and I believe Planescape:Torment

    Maybe for the next 2 more years...

    in Thursday, June 9th 2005:

    "HASBRO has reacquired its digital gaming rights for $65 million from Infogrames. And in a joint licensing deal, Atari’s parent company has also snapped up the exclusive rights to 10 key Hasbro franchises."

    "As part of the deal, Infogrames has bagged 10-year exclusive rights to produce video games based on the Dungeons & Dragons licence.

    Atari is scheduled to publish three D&D titles in ‘05/’06 – D&D Online, NeverWinter Nights 2 and Dragonshard.

    Hasbro, meanwhile, reacquires digital rights to properties including Transformers, My Little Pony, Tonka, Magic: The Gathering, Connect Four, Candyland and Playskool.

    Infogrames will retain the right t[o] sell certain Hasbro titles during an unspecified transition period."

    (http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/hasbro-buys-back-digital-rights-from-infogrames)


    So...

    1. Atari SA will retain exclusive rights to D&D games until June 2015? (but they probably lost it in 2011?)

    2. Atari SA can still hold rights to some titles for unspecified period? Possibly this includes D&D titles such as BG, IWD, PST?

    3. Rights can be sold and bought?

  • DurenasDurenas Member Posts: 508
    http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/96148-hasbro-sues-atari-over-dungeons-a-dragons-license.html

    http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/104292-atari-loses-dungeons-a-dragons-license-neverwinter-delayed.html

    Your news post is 8 years old. There's more recent developments in this case.
  • reedmilfamreedmilfam Member Posts: 2,808
    IchigoRXC said:

    @reedmilfam you are not omniscient? ;)

    @IchigoRXC - Unfortunately, no. Sorry.
  • GilgalahadGilgalahad Member Posts: 237
    Atari nauseates me. Nuff said or I may explode into a billion molecules, invade Atari and once I've taken possession of their minds, I shall give the licensing in full to beamdog and overhaul without red tape, conditions or charging too much for it. They will comply, we are gameborg. Just spinning a little humor into a ridiculous situation. Wake up atari ffs.
  • RedGuardRedGuard Member Posts: 672
    Uses Star Trek-like terminology, but with the wibbly wobbly plot of an episode of Dr. Who. Interesting.
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