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Shiggy

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #1

With many people thinking Nintendo owns the FF IP, I think we need a thread for this topic.

Nintendo DOES co-own the publishing rights and probably also the game code for both Zero: A Japanese Ghost Story (better know as FF4 outside of NoE buildings) and Project Zero 2: Wii Edition - those cannot be released on other platforms without Nintendo's consent.

But what does this mean for the IP in general? Nothing. The following is mentioned on the box of Project Zero 2: Wii Edition:

This states exactly the same as trademark offices. Project Zero and Fatal Frame are trademarks of Tecmo Koei Games Co. Ltd. They are not trademarks of Nintendo.

What other evidence do we need? We even saw PSN re-releases of old Fatal Frame games. If Nintendo had any stake in the IP/franchise, those would not have happened.

Some might bring up Spirit Camera now, which is a trademark fully owned by Nintendo. But what implications does this have? The Taiko no Tatsujin is not owned by Nintendo either just because they own Donkey Konga.

 

C

Clov

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #2

I figured this was obvious, though I guess some people needed to have it cleared up.

Still wishing we ended up getting Fatal Frame 2: Wii Edition in North America. Thanks a lot, NoA.

 

H

Hero of Legend

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #3

Shiggy said:

Some might bring up Spirit Camera now, which is a trademark fully owned by Nintendo. But what implications does this have? The Taiko no Tatsujin is not owned by Nintendo either just because they own Donkey Konga.

Click to expand...

That's different, Konga was made by the Taiko team, but it's they're still two different IPs.

Spirit Camera IIRC was officially confirmed to be a spin-off hence related to Fatal Frame. Now as I asked in the other thread, how can one own the spin-off but not the main franchise?

 

D

darkside31337

Tomodachi wa Mahou

• Nov 19, 2013

• #4

Shiggy said:

What other evidence do we need? We even saw PSN re-releases of old Fatal Frame games. If Nintendo had any stake in the IP/franchise, those would not have happened.

Some might bring up Spirit Camera now, which is a trademark fully owned by Nintendo. But what implications does this have? The Taiko no Tatsujin is not owned by Nintendo either just because they own Donkey Konga.

Click to expand...

Not saying you're wrong but thats definitely not true. Nintendo may have rights for future games moving forward and not necessarily for the games that already exist on older platforms.

 

Smiles and Cries

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #5

this thing and the gamepad could really screw some sleep hope they do it soon


but not my cup of tea

 

T

Takao

Banned

• Nov 19, 2013

• #6

If Deception IV is successful I wonder if TK would make a PS3/PSV FF game.

 

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Mihael Mello Keehl

Banned

• Nov 19, 2013

• #7

Shiggy will finally be able to sleep now

 

A

Aostia

El Capitan Todd

• Nov 19, 2013

• #8

who cares?
gimme ffv for wiiu in any case!

 

S

Shiggy

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #9

Hero of Legend said:

That's different, Konga was made by the Taiko team, but it's they're still two different IPs.

Spirit Camera IIRC was officially confirmed to be a spin-off hence related to Fatal Frame. Now as I asked in the other thread, how can one own the spin-off but not the main franchise?

Click to expand...

Namco still has rights to Donkey Konga, just as Tecmo Koei does for Spirits Camera. Yet both IPs are fully owned by Nintendo.

Spirit Camera is closesly related to the Fatal Frame IP, even links to a code in the manual of the Wii game. Yet it's not officially part of that IP. It's not comparable to something like Mario Tennis to Super Mario Bros., where it's clear that it's part of the same IP.

darkside31337 said:

Not saying you're wrong but thats definitely not true. Nintendo may have rights for future games moving forward and not necessarily for the games that already exist on older platforms.

Click to expand...

That would be a special case that would have been negotiated in a purchase contract. But who'd think that Nintendo would exclude these old games if they really did own the IP, especially when there's absolutely nothing pointing into that direction? That'd be pure speculation like "Sony bought the Super Mario IP but they license the rights for all past and future games exclusively to Nintendo".

Mihael Mello Keehl said:

Shiggy will finally be able to sleep now

Click to expand...

The other thread was closed and I received questions about it via PM.

 

Y

Y2Kev

TLG Fan Caretaker Est. 2009

• Nov 19, 2013

• #10

Actual fans of the series knew this.

 

M

MasterOfPuppets

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #11

Shiggy said:

Spirit Camera is closesly related to the Fatal Frame IP, even links to a code in the manual of the Wii game. Yet it's not officially part of that IP. It's not comparable to something like Mario Tennis to Super Mario Bros., where it's clear that it's part of the same IP.

Click to expand...

Considering the main story is partially titled "Fatal Frame", at least part of it is part of the IP, I would imagine.

 

Z

ZombiePlatypus

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #12

Lol this thread.

Y2Kev said:

Actual fans of the series knew this.

Click to expand...

I resent that statement good sir. I kinda thought they pulled a Monolith Soft with Tecmo. (Yes, I know there are other Tecmo games (multiplat to boot) but...I forgot.)

Anyway, I just wanna wave the gamepad around my TV in my living, like an idiot, while capturing ghosts in decrepit but pretty, traditional Japanese buildings.

 

I

InfiniteNine

Rolling Girl

• Nov 19, 2013

• #13

Y2Kev said:

Actual fans of the series knew this.

Click to expand...

I haven't even really played any of the games and I knew this. I bought them though so maybe I should get on that.

 

S

Shiggy

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #14

MasterOfPuppets said:

Considering the main story is partially titled "Fatal Frame", at least part of it is part of the IP, I would imagine.

Click to expand...

I should have been more specific. They do co-own the game code and game content of that particular game as well as fully own the name/trademark "Spirit Camera". Just because they main story is named "Fatal Frame" does not make it a "Fatal Frame" game though; I don't see that trademark mentioned anywhere in the title. As Tecmo Koei created the game, it's also very unlikely that they will sue Nintendo over that - it's more likely that they agreed on something in the contract for that particular title.

Edit: Well, I want to retract my previous statement. The game clearly names "Fatal Frame" and "Project Zero" in that particular mode. So it's definitely a spin-off. Yet this does not change a lot. While Nintendo does not have much to say about the FF franchise, they can release a new Spirits Camera on their own. What they can't is naming a mode inside that new game "Fatal Frame" or "Project Zero" without Tecmo's consent. (Unless there are some contractual obligations)

 

W

Wynnebeck

Banned

• Nov 19, 2013

• #15

Takao said:

If Deception IV is successful I wonder if TK would make a PS3/PSV FF game.

Click to expand...

A PSV FF? Count me in.

 

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Psycho_Mantis

Banned

• Nov 19, 2013

• #16

Y2Kev said:

Actual fans of the series knew this.

Click to expand...

Exactly.

 

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Guymelef

Member

• Nov 19, 2013

• #17

I think this was pretty obvious with the releases on PSN.