Comments on: Maestri Files Suit Against You Plus, Creators of Mobsters http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2009/02/27/maestri-strikes-again-files-suit-against-you-plus-creators-of-mobsters/ Tracking Innovation at the Convergence of Games and Social Platforms Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:17:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Go Fish — For A Gaming Lawsuit, in Japan http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2009/02/27/maestri-strikes-again-files-suit-against-you-plus-creators-of-mobsters/comment-page-1/#comment-7680 Go Fish — For A Gaming Lawsuit, in Japan Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:56:04 +0000 http://www.insidesocialgames.com/?p=3200#comment-7680 [...] On that list includes the multiple copyright suits from David Maestri against Zynga and Playdom (YouPlus back then) over Mob Wars, Mafia and Mobsters respectively; several trademark and copyright infringement suits [...] [...] On that list includes the multiple copyright suits from David Maestri against Zynga and Playdom (YouPlus back then) over Mob Wars, Mafia and Mobsters respectively; several trademark and copyright infringement suits [...]

]]> By: Tadhg Kelly http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2009/02/27/maestri-strikes-again-files-suit-against-you-plus-creators-of-mobsters/comment-page-1/#comment-3708 Tadhg Kelly Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:01:57 +0000 http://www.insidesocialgames.com/?p=3200#comment-3708 While not wanting to encourage game copying in any way, it's hard to see where Maestri's lawsuits are likeely to go except the bin. Game suits over copyright infringement rarely go anywhere because gameplay is not a copyrightable thing. This has been shown repeatedly in cases brought by the likes of TSR in the 80s against other companies using similar rpg mechanics to theirs. Such suits never fly. What Maestri needs to show is not similarity but explicit copying. This means did someone use his game name and his logo, not something passingly similar or with the same idea, but actually the same thing that he copyrighted first. This is why game clones have always managed to survive the legal process. So I'll be surprised if either of these suits are upheld. While not wanting to encourage game copying in any way, it’s hard to see where Maestri’s lawsuits are likeely to go except the bin. Game suits over copyright infringement rarely go anywhere because gameplay is not a copyrightable thing. This has been shown repeatedly in cases brought by the likes of TSR in the 80s against other companies using similar rpg mechanics to theirs. Such suits never fly.

What Maestri needs to show is not similarity but explicit copying. This means did someone use his game name and his logo, not something passingly similar or with the same idea, but actually the same thing that he copyrighted first. This is why game clones have always managed to survive the legal process.

So I’ll be surprised if either of these suits are upheld.

]]> By: This Week’s Top Headlines from Inside Social Games http://www.insidesocialgames.com/2009/02/27/maestri-strikes-again-files-suit-against-you-plus-creators-of-mobsters/comment-page-1/#comment-3692 This Week’s Top Headlines from Inside Social Games Sun, 01 Mar 2009 22:32:41 +0000 http://www.insidesocialgames.com/?p=3200#comment-3692 [...] Maestri Files Suit Against You Plus, Creators of Mobsters [...] [...] Maestri Files Suit Against You Plus, Creators of Mobsters [...]

]]>