Posts tagged copyright 
PIPA on hold in light of 'legitimate issues raised by many,' says Senate majority leader Harry Reid [update]
It seems that the unending stream of protest from the internet, as well as from the meatspace, have helped to slow -- and potentially stop -- one of the broad reaching anti-piracy acts being proposed for legislation in the US Congress. An upcoming Senate vote on the Protect Intellectual Property ...
The battle for Breakout's copyright
Were we to say the word "Breakout" you'd probably get a pretty clear image in your head -- the image of Atari's 1976 block-breaking game (which both Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak played significant roles in designing!) It may be totally distinctive, but it was once not seen as copyrightable. In ...
Github removes PS3 jailbreak files after Sony sends DMCA takedown notice
Removing files from the internet is about as difficult and futile a task as trying to remove an upsetting mental image from your thoughts -- elephants with spider faces! (Boom! That's in your mind now.) This isn't stopping Sony from trying its darndest to keep the PS3 jailbreak files from ...
Bungie web domains, copyright filings discovered for 'Seven Seraphs,' 'Osiris,' 'New Monarchy,' and 'Dead Orbit'
This past summer, while we were busy jamming to Beach Boys classics and getting our tan on, Bungie was secretly filing copyright claims for a handful of previously unheard phrases and associating web domains with each. "Seven Seraphs," "Osiris," "New Monarchy," and "Dead Orbit" were all copyrighted ...
Xbox-modder trial underway, no plea bargain offered [update: case dismissed!]
The landmark jury trial of Matthew Crippen, indicted on two federal counts last fall for running a side-business in which he modded Xbox 360s at his home, began yesterday with opening statements in a Los Angeles court. Wired's colorful report of U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez's colorful ...
Starbreeze and EA partnership revealed by Syndicate copyright docs
Given the years of back and forth we've seen over the possibility of an updated Syndicate for current-gen consoles, we're looking at the handful of recently discovered copyright documents -- that seemingly reveal a collaboration between Starbreeze Studios and EA -- with a fair amount of skepticism. ...
EA: Rumors of lawsuit over South Park episode are 'nonsense'
Today, a recent post on Daily Informer was brought to our attention, which reports that EA has decided to sue over a recent South Park episode, "Sexual Healing." The episode in question shows a mock-up of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, mixing in some ridiculous fighting elements (involving the wife he ...
New Line Cinema options rights for film adaptation of Heavy Rain
What if Heavy Rain, which is so often heralded by creator David Cage as "interactive fiction," was just a bit less interactive? Is the game's story and cast of vaguely-French-sounding characters strong enough to carry a feature-length film? We might just find out, some day -- internet super-sleuth ...
LGJ: Dante's Infringement (or lack thereof)
Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: While I'm still waiting for my copy of Dante's Inferno, I have been checking out the review sites, Achievement guides and message boards in preparation for the arrival of the ...
LGJ: Wait, it's not a derivative?
Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: I noticed an interesting point brought up in the comments to the last LGJ: that the new NBA Jam was certainly a derivative work, so even if the trademark issue weren't a ...
