Taito responds to 'unauthorized' Space Invaders 9/11 exhibit
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Aug 22nd 2008 at 4:54PM }
"Taito Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Square Enix Co., Ltd., today stated unequivocally that the 'Invaders!' installation by Douglas Edric Stanley and displayed at the Games Convention held in Leipzig, Germany was produced entirely without Taito's knowledge and that the use of the world-famous Space Invaders content was wholly unauthorized. The 'Space Invaders: Die Jubiläumsshow!' ('Space Invaders: the Anniversary Show') exhibition of the Computer Game Museum Berlin hosting the installation was likewise planned and presented without Taito's knowledge and authorization.
"Taito is seriously considering all available options -- including legal actions against the infringer and, if necessary, the Games Convention exhibitor involved -- in order to end this unauthorized and impermissible misuse of the Space Invaders content and to protect Taito's intellectual properties."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ScallionN @ Aug 22nd 2008 4:58PM
Kudos for not mentioning the content, and focusing on the copyright infringement. God knows that we'll see enough of the images (out of context) in the next few days.
thesimplicity @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:58PM
This isn't copyright infringement, it's fair use. There's been plenty of legal precedent to establish it as such (see Blanch v. Koons). The context, display, and portion of work used all fit. Taito wouldn't get far in court if they decided to take legal action.
AoE @ Aug 22nd 2008 8:56PM
@thesimplicity,
We're talking about a Japanese company, an artist who resides in France, and a show happening in Germany. Please PLEASE explain to me how American copyright law applies?
J.Goodwin @ Aug 23rd 2008 12:02AM
Fair use isn't exactly a uniquely American concept. Taito can bluster all they want, but they aren't going to shut this installation down.
thesimplicity @ Aug 23rd 2008 12:32AM
Do you seriously want a lecture on international copyright law? We don't just study US law when we go to school, you know.
Let's just sum it up to this: it's in the jurisdiction of the venue.
Doesn't Joystiq have a column about stuff like this?
ScallionN @ Aug 23rd 2008 9:33PM
No, I mean, if they were going to complain about it, or draw attention to it, I'm glad they didn't draw attention to the content.
Bloo @ Aug 22nd 2008 4:59PM
Is it true that 'tai' means 'camel' in Japanese?
Tiptup300 @ Aug 23rd 2008 1:57AM
What does "hen" mean?
Mr Khan @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:05PM
It begins
Mr.ESC @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:14PM
Did you missed the other Article?
Mr Khan @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:46PM
No, just meant to be a generic, cryptic comment about the possibility of this ballooning into some horrendous controversy
Shagittarius @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:08PM
I fawt the LOL but the LOL won.
LOL
Kedan @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:24PM
They should be glad someones paying attention to them.
Obie @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:25PM
The artist is gonna get p0wned!
shivr @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:32PM
its art... and art can get away with a lot of that stuff.
Murry @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:33PM
OK first of all it's ART people.
DO the artists doing the 8bit show get permission? No didn't think so.
While it may exhibit poor taste, the people responsible can not and should not be sued.
The Fatass of Kickassness @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:44PM
Was there any interactive media based so closely on the original product but made by someone who doesn't own the rights at iam8bit? Because that's what this here is.
LaughingTarget @ Aug 22nd 2008 9:05PM
You can't just call it art to avoid issues like this. It isn't that simple. Besides, I saw it, that isn't art, it's a vanilla Space Invaders with a pixelated Twin Towers graphic in the background. Hardly anything of artistic merit.
The_Punisher @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:35PM
What they did was not art, it was stupid. I think what Taito did here is excellent, and very smart.
The Fatass of Kickassness @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:43PM
As awful as I thought it was, it can't really be said that it isn't 'art'. Lazy art? Sure. Tasteless art? Debatable. Art that doesn't even begin to match the description it's own artist gave it? Yeah. Still art, in that it evokes an emotional response from the viewer (though I haven't liked that definition of art simply because of all the modern art - aka pretentious diarrhea - I've seen in the last few years).
If this is a double post, yell at the comment system, not me.
Bass Masterson @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:14PM
Everything is 'art' if you reduce the term far enough. It's a meaningless term. What is important is that the Space Invaders exhibit had no value, nothing to say, and was an obvious attempt to stir up controversy (much like the 'serious Columbine analysis' called Super Columbine Massacre RPG!!!!)
TFoK (Naked Peach Defense Force) @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:51PM
Yeah, Bass. I know. That's what I just said/said in the previous article.
Microswirl (MKWii:1676- 4270-3674) @ Aug 22nd 2008 5:36PM
Taito just pulled a Dyack!
...I'm hoping that catches on...
Zippy5150 @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:02PM
"I represent Taito Corp., and I have a court order demanding an immediate halt of this unauthorized imitation."
http://chescurrin.bitacoras.com/img/blue_haired_lawyer_1.jpg
Bass Masterson @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:13PM
Wow! That Taito statement is TOTALLY art! It's a post-modern critique of life in the Internet age ... look at how they framed the struggle of the lone copyright holder against the brutal invasion of the hack wanna-be! This is truly a courageous and innovative artistic statement by Taito!
Jody Anthony (gamertag and psn: JodyAnthony) @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:15PM
taito probably wont go after them, knowing they wouldn't win. they are probably just saying they are "looking into it" so people don't think that taito is a part of this thing.
thesimplicity @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:20PM
That's exactly what I got out of it too... that this press release is just to distance the Space Invaders Brand from the work in question.
Mr Khan @ Aug 22nd 2008 7:56PM
Or to hope the "artist" doesn't know his rights and just backs off out of fear
Otimus @ Aug 22nd 2008 6:48PM
Yeah, remember when some folks pulled games when there was outlash against the columbine game?
Let's see developers react the same way to this!
What? They won't? Of course they won't. Chicken ****s.
It is art, and regardless of your opinion of the art, that is entirely irrelevant.
"I DUN LIKE THIS ART, SO I THANK HE SHOULD BE PUNISHED!111"
"THIS HURR IS POOR TASTE, PUNISH HIM!!!!"
Good god, people.
Yes, it's stupid. But, it did art's purpose. Pushed the envelope, and made people talk, think, about ANYTHING.
Bass Masterson @ Aug 22nd 2008 7:13PM
Art's "purpose" is not to "push the envelope". Art has no one purpose to be decided by you. In fact, if you could pick one purpose of art, the one thing that art has generally had in common, it is to ENTERTAIN. Not to "push the envelope" or "shock" or "outrage".
The problem is that it's idiotic thinking like yours that results in this type of crap, or Piss Christ, or the elephant dung thing, or Super Columbine Massacre RPG!!!, and other nonsense: people who have no artistic ability and nothing to say, who take the easy route of trying to offend or piss someone off, and then run and hide behind you losers who think you're better people because you want everyone insulting one another.
krizoitz @ Aug 22nd 2008 9:35PM
Translation:
We at Taito want to be clear that we have nothing to do with this asshole who is claiming "art" as a defense for creating something so vile tasteless and disrespectful.
Ridgecity @ Aug 22nd 2008 9:44PM
I guess "Space Invaders shooting the Dalai Lama" isn't going to happen with this.
Thomas @ Aug 22nd 2008 11:12PM
-=-
Bomp-Bump, Bomp-Bomp --- Pew pew --- ** Game Over! **
-
-=- . -=>
=*-*= .. -=>
{ } ... -=>
Jimiisama @ Aug 23rd 2008 1:12AM
People act like it's a bad thing to start controversy; debate is good; communicating ideas is good. In the 1700s, Swift told everyone to eat children to simultaneously combat overpopulation and hunger; obviously, he was just starting shit. I'm not really saying this is on the same level; I'm just saying there's nothing wrong with satire, no matter how tasteless.
TwEE @ Aug 23rd 2008 2:38AM
What the fuck is Taito doing?
dextro @ Aug 23rd 2008 6:40AM
Taito is owned by Square? The things you learn :P
vaylen @ Aug 25th 2008 4:06AM
Wow. Just having a grayed out silhouette of the tops of the WTC is a pretty lazy way to get people to talk about your "art". I mean, that background graphic has nothing to do with the game play, it's totally slapped on. Nothing is flying into the towers and they don't collapse. It's just a cheap stunt. I think we should do what we would have done if that display didn't have that background graphic.. ignore it. Getting our panties in a bunch about it just gives the artist what they are seeking: publicity.
As for Taito's comment. I love how their response doesn't mention the negative reaction that people touched by that tragedy might experience by looking at it, and instead spend their time trying to beat their chests about their intellectual property. Good going, Taito. How much money did that I.P. make for you last year? It had to be at least 4 digits!
When you go to art school, you learn all the tricks artists use to shock the audience so their work won't be *gasp* IGNORED. I guess when you are working in a low-rez environment like this, twin towers are easier to render in the background than burning crosses or aborted fetuses.