(OT ) Litigation: Sony vs. White Wolf

Loser · #1 September 8th, 2003, 08:22 PM

Now this is funny.

geoschmo · #2 September 8th, 2003, 09:04 PM

For this to hit the news the same week the RIAA (on behalf of Sony among others) goes gonzo with their enforcment of music swappers is irony at it's best.

spoon · #3 September 8th, 2003, 10:58 PM

Heh, see also Penny Arcade

narf poit chez BOOM · #4 September 8th, 2003, 11:31 PM

anyone wanna post a summary for those of us who get bored 1/7 of the way through 'white wolf blah blah blah, white wolf yak yak yak?'

something a bit longer than penny arcade's?

Wydraz · #5 September 9th, 2003, 03:47 AM

White Wolf is claiming that 'Underworld' is directly ripping off 'Love of Monsters' which takes place in their RPG setting. I have to admit it sure is similar.

geoschmo · #6 September 9th, 2003, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wydraz:
White Wolf is claiming that 'Underworld' is directly ripping off 'Love of Monsters' which takes place in their RPG setting. I have to admit it sure is similar.

I am sure it's all a coincidence.

EDIT: Somewhat in defense of Sony it's very possible that noone that worked for the corporation had any idea that the story was ripped off. It's not a big stretch to think that they don't sit around playing fantasy punk role play games. But whoever wrote and pitched the story obviously knew it quite well. But Sony has a responsibility to check this stuff out thouroughly and they obviously dropped the ball.

[ September 09, 2003, 02:53: Message edited by: geoschmo ]

Baron Munchausen · #7 September 9th, 2003, 04:44 AM

Skimming through the brief once, I'd say that White Wolf has a good case. There are many, many similarities in both general theme and character details. I agree with Geo though, that Sony was probably unaware that they had been sold a 'stolen' property. Unfortunately for them, the law doesn't recognize 'good faith' in this respect, and they are the 'deep pockets' anyway, not the screen writers who probably did know what they were stealing. The only question is whether WW can purse to the end, or whether Sony can just wear WW down with legal maneuvers until they can't afford to pursue the case. Given the relative difference in size between the plaintiff and defendant it seems quite possible that Sony will just stonewall them.

Fyron · #8 September 9th, 2003, 05:20 AM

Can't help Sony's public image any though. This killed the Last shred of respect I had for the company.

QuarianRex · #9 September 9th, 2003, 05:08 PM

Anyone else notice that Underworld seems to be Romeo & Juliet with monsters? Anyone think that the estate of Bill Shakespere will get in on this?

General Woundwort · #10 September 9th, 2003, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by QuarianRex:
Anyone else notice that Underworld seems to be Romeo & Juliet with monsters? Anyone think that the estate of Bill Shakespere will get in on this?

They're busy trying to prove to the deconstructionists in modern Lit studies that it was Bill Shakespeare who actually wrote the plays attributed to him...