How Not To Win Fans: Game Maker Sues Fan Site
from the drop-the-warhammer dept
samkash was the first of a few of you to send in the news that Games Workshop, makers of (among other things) the tabletop Warhammer games, has apparently decided to sue the operator of a Warhammer fansite. The website is WarhammerAlliance.com, and is run by a company called Curse. Now, some will quickly say that the trademark owner needs to enforce its trademarks or risk losing them, but it's not quite that simple. First, that's only in the case where the use really is infringing. A fan site that is clearly not associated with the company is unlikely to confuse consumers and hardly a dilution issue, since it would likely increase the value of the Warhammer brand. Second, even if it really was a trademark issue, the company could respond by granting the fansite a free license just to encourage the community. It takes a pretty shortsighted view to instead sue the operators of a fan site.Filed Under: fan site, fans, warhammer
Companies: curse, games workshop
