The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

The Ur-Quan Masters Re-Release => General UQM Discussion => Topic started by: jonwil on September 11, 2003, 02:41:20 pm



Title: Why was the name changed?
Post by: jonwil on September 11, 2003, 02:41:20 pm
I understand that the people who released the code (and wrote the game in the first place) dont own the "star control" name but:
1.who does own the name (is it the publishers?)
and 2.why do they own it and not the developers? (was assigning the rights in the name something that had to be done to get the game published?)


Title: Re: Why was the name changed?
Post by: Krulle on September 11, 2003, 03:05:37 pm
renaming had legal reasons. Star Control is a trademark owned by Accolade (now owned by Infogrames). Since the game, the characters and the story are owned by FF and PR, the game can be republished, but the name of the game cannot be used without permission from Infogrames.

Therefor the new name.

2.: Why? Go ask the guys from Accolade. But if it were probably easy money, would you go without the right on the name. As publisher I'd hate to see the programmers leaving your company because another company pays better once they know it sells good with that name...
Especially if you had the risk to publish a new game (the financial risk). Okay, in this case the risk was with FF and PR, but nontheless, you'd want to earn the money yourself, if you've invested marketing money to get the name known....


Title: Re: Why was the name changed?
Post by: guesst on September 12, 2003, 04:06:45 am
Isn't infogames now calling themselves Atari? So that would mean that the StarControl name was not under the Atari umbrella.