Apparently Wizards of the Coast own the patent to strategic trading card games. Supposedly the reason why other trading card games with similar mechanics have to pay royalties and a patent infringement fee to Wizard of the Coast.
It's a huge crutch on the industry. Wizards of the Coast is effectively monopolizing the TCG market by owning that kind of patent. This inhibits the growth and expansion of the industry as small games are forced to pay off Wizards in order to have their game even created. If you want to know why TCGs are dying, this is probably one of the causes.
The current economic crisis and the Recession doesn't help it that much either, thus people not having enough money to pay for royalties to Wizards in order for their TCG's to get patented by WoTC. That could explain the lack of new TCG/CCG's being released prior to 2004 which was 6 years ago and why more and more people are possibly jumping into MMORPG's and Online games such as World of Warcraft.
As a holder of the patent, Wizards of the Coast has requested that all trading card game publishers license the mechanics described in the patent, usually for a royalty fee based on total sales.
In October 2003, Wizards of the Coast filed suit against Nintendo and related companies in U.S. District Court in Seattle shortly after its distribution agreement expired. The suit alleged, along with other claims, that the Pokemon Trading Card Game, infringed on the company's patent. In December of that year, the parties settled the case on undisclosed terms, precluding a judicial ruling which might have been the first test of the patent's legal validity.
I didn't know where to post this but I thought it'd be good here since it's debatable. What do you guys think? If this thread is too political for your tastes then lock it or delete it If necessary...
It's a huge crutch on the industry. Wizards of the Coast is effectively monopolizing the TCG market by owning that kind of patent. This inhibits the growth and expansion of the industry as small games are forced to pay off Wizards in order to have their game even created. If you want to know why TCGs are dying, this is probably one of the causes.
The current economic crisis and the Recession doesn't help it that much either, thus people not having enough money to pay for royalties to Wizards in order for their TCG's to get patented by WoTC. That could explain the lack of new TCG/CCG's being released prior to 2004 which was 6 years ago and why more and more people are possibly jumping into MMORPG's and Online games such as World of Warcraft.
As a holder of the patent, Wizards of the Coast has requested that all trading card game publishers license the mechanics described in the patent, usually for a royalty fee based on total sales.
In October 2003, Wizards of the Coast filed suit against Nintendo and related companies in U.S. District Court in Seattle shortly after its distribution agreement expired. The suit alleged, along with other claims, that the Pokemon Trading Card Game, infringed on the company's patent. In December of that year, the parties settled the case on undisclosed terms, precluding a judicial ruling which might have been the first test of the patent's legal validity.
I didn't know where to post this but I thought it'd be good here since it's debatable. What do you guys think? If this thread is too political for your tastes then lock it or delete it If necessary...
