Infringements - help!

[matchy]

Urgent help required! 

Legal reps. for Hasbro are asking me to remove Happy Happy Hippos from the Apple App Store due to infringement.

The graphics, text and game-play are not the same as Hungry Hungry Hippos so what's the issue? Is there something I should change?

[Ian Price]

Ouch

What part of your game do they feel infringes on their IP? Maybe you could change just that one aspect?

TBH The game does rather resemble that old family fave. I can understand why they are asking for it to be removed. Legally I'm not sure where you'd stand (and Hasbro have probably got a little more money and clout in this dept to duke it out than your good self).

Could you change the hippos to dinosaurs (they aren't that much different) and call it Dinner Dinner Dinos/Dinosaurs (c) and TM I.Price 2011 , or something? Or maybe altogether different beasties? My son has a table top game that is a blatant rip off of HHH. It stars chickens IIRC.

It's got to be a kick in the nuts for you though.

[matchy]

Generally, there are many Habrso boardgame remakes that are the same so why is mine any different.   
http://www.google.com/images?q=hasbro+board+games&biw=1680&bih=844



It's obvious that the screen shot resembles a game that is 40 years old so I think the reasonable thing to do is change the characters and board so it looks nothing like it.
Even a pig or dino could be mistaken for hippo. So I'm hoping I can keep the game mechanics in place and just replace the 3D objects. 

[Kitty Hello]

Generally, there are many Habrso boardgame remakes that are the same so why is mine any different.   
http://www.google.com/images?q=hasbro+board+games&biw=1680&bih=844

YIKES!!!! "Operation" 

Crunchy, Crunchy, Croco? I mean, they can't piss you because you have the idea copied. What would tetris do?

[matchy]

I have asked for the legal rep for specific issues because it is vague.

[MrTAToad]

If you dont here from them (which you should do), then it could have been a scam.

I suspect that, if you do here back, you wont want to challenge them.  However, if you do, then get a lawyer who is into IP stuff and see what they say.

[Moru]

Just give up challenging them whatever resources you have. They have to do this to keep their trademark because if you don't attempt to protect your trademark for the silly things, you can't defend your case in court when someone makes an exact copy of your work. As long as we are talking USA or a country that has fallen for the pressure from US, you are completely lost. All you can do is give up, remove it and remake the whole concept not to look like their stuff any more.

Btw, tetris clones gets attacked all the time so don't look for support there. Last time on Slashdot this morning:
http://games.slashdot.org/story/11/02/08/0458258/Takedown-Letters-For-WP7-Tetris-Clones

[Kitty Hello]

tetris with 3 block stones is easier to program, anyway

Code (glbasic) Select Expand


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I call is Tritris, and hereby claim copyright and whatnot!

[Ian Price]

tetris with 3 block stones is easier to program, anyway

Code (glbasic) Select Expand


XXX

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  X

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X X
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I call is Tritris, and hereby claim copyright and whatnot!

Games about falling blocks will never catch on...

[doimus]

@matchy - as Moru said, better get off the radar ASAP!

Don't mess with multinational companies, avoid them at all costs!
Show only slight amount of resistance and next day they'll sue you at the court in Manhattan or LA, or some place else where you need $250.000 just to appear in the courtroom. 
Run away!


edit:
That means - remove all references to possible infringement, but don't acknowledge, admit or apologize to anybody.  Pretend to be stupid, ignorant and completely not fluent in English language.

[Albert]

u-oo

[matchy]

-I received the requests from Apple legal, so I have to do what Apple says. They have asked me to contact the lawyers, which I have and asked for specification because I am quite certain those specs conform to many other also. Nothing special about my game just that is looks like it and plays nothing like it.
- I have 5 days to remove the product, which I will because Apple asked me not Hasbro. There is no challenge, just a respect for clear communications.
- I will try to change the characters and board, but that may be too much work for me right now.

Personally, it's no big deal but I feel I need to compile a big list of other games that they missed.
Thanks for the support and it's okay to open the discussion for general and other similar games.
The reason I am telling you guys is because ironically it was originally created for a board-game comp.

[Marmor]

 Remove it  .
Make a new one ala crash crash croco   or long long Giraffe.
Imho u cant win and if you ask them  for the reasons the answer is a  "blah  blah bla blup" .
I hate this too but u cant win. Why fight against them ? maybe u win but is it all worth it ?

Its a shame 
mfg

[Ian Price]

It might be worth mentioning that there was a commercial computer game called Zampabolas on the Spectrum and CPC years ago -
http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0013946
http://www.cpcgamereviews.com/z/index.html

It would appear that no claim was made against that game back then, so why now?

But as we have all stated - you really have no leg to stand on; you will have to comply. I'd still ask for specifics about EXACTLY which aspects do they not like, as if you do plan to do an alternative remix, you don't want the same hassle again.

BTW some possible ideas -

Gator Gulp
Monkey Munch
Chimp Chomp

[MrTAToad]

Lawyer Lawyer Eater
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