Rumor: No Third Party Figure Sales at BotCon?, Looks like Hasbro may have put the kibosh on them? Options

[Kevin S]

I wonder how stringent this will be. I mean, I've seen Reprolabel sets for sale at Botcon, are those now banned? Also, will accessory sets get a pass? I mean, won't Botcon be going against its own rules selling Soundwave headbands?

And in the past I've picked up music CDs that incorporated show sounds, will that be out as well? And what about the stupid stuff, like reproduction Bumblebee air fresheners?

Its just there's a wide degree of product infringement that goes on @ Botcon. And given that Botcon has actively sold Unicron.com stuff in the past, it's hands aren't entirely clean. (Unless Hasbro has given Unicron.com official status of some kind, that I'm unaware of.)

I'm not saying that keeping figures out doesn't make sense, I just wonder if these rules will apply to the other stuff.

This post has been edited by Kevin S: Jan 17 2012, 08:46 PM

[mignash]

I'm just waiting for the day Hasbro legal shuts down all the unlicensed conventions, the message boards and TFwiki as infinging on it's IP. Seems to be the direction they are going.

[mignash]

I wonder how stringent this will be. I mean, I've seen Reprolabel sets for sale at Botcon, are those now banned? Also, will accessory sets get a pass? I mean, won't Botcon be going against its own rules selling Soundwave headbands?

And in the past I've picked up music CDs that incorporated show sounds, will that be out as well? And what about the stupid stuff, like reproduction Bumblebee air fresheners?

it just there's a wide degree of product infringement that goes on @ Botcon. And given that Botcon has actively sold Unicron.com stuff in the past, it's hands aren't entirely clean. (Unless Hasbro has given Unicron.com official status of some kind.)

I'm not saying that keeping figures out doesn't make sense, I just wonder if these rules will apply to the other stuff.

According to M Sipher, we already know what is allowed and what is not, so you are not allowed to ask.

Didn't Hasbro themselves get in trouble for stealing the design of those "bee-otch" air fresheners from the person who made them?


This post has been edited by mignash: Jan 17 2012, 08:47 PM

[MrBlud]

I'm just waiting for the day Hasbro legal shuts down all the unlicensed conventions, the message boards and TFwiki as infinging on it's IP. Seems to be the direction they are going.

Sure in the overzealous-verse

But here in reality it's a reasonable reaction to something people should've known better then to do in the first place.

[Esser-Z]

GOOD!

About damn time really. It always amazed me places were brazen enough to do that in the first place.

THIS. ALL OF IT.

I guess it's easier for you to make snide comments than answer.

...it was a serious question? Seriously?

I'm just waiting for the day Hasbro legal shuts down all the unlicensed conventions, the message boards and TFwiki as infinging on it's IP. Seems to be the direction they are going.

What? No it isn't. They're just taking steps against people making money off their IP. Y'know, the illegal thing. Message boards violate nothing. The wiki is also covered, I do believe.

This post has been edited by Esser-Z: Jan 17 2012, 08:52 PM

[Sean Whitmore]

I guess it's easier for you to make snide comments than answer.

Much easier.

Seriously, from the things you're saying, it's apparent you're in need of a long, long explanation that the average poster who isn't a law professor probably doesn't have the time or the inclination to give.

I'm just waiting for the day Hasbro legal shuts down all the unlicensed conventions, the message boards and TFwiki as infinging on it's IP. Seems to be the direction they are going.

For example.

This post has been edited by Sean Whitmore: Jan 17 2012, 10:20 PM

[Sean Whitmore]

As for the news, though I recognize there are no grounds to complain, I guess I'm slightly disappointed. I haven't bought a lot of 3rd party stuff from Botcon, but I have picked up some gun sets and accessory upgrades here or there on "I-don't-want-to-leave-here-with-money-in-my-pockets" whims. (Which, of course, is exactly the kind of thing that brings a move like this about)

[M Sipher]

I guess it's easier for you to make snide comments than answer.

Much easier.

Actually, the snide comments take far more effort, and are also the answer at the same time!


M "But That Takes Basic-Level Reading And Tonal Comprehension To Interpret" Sipher

[M Sipher]

I should point out that JoeCon is SWARMING with "aftermarket" parts for Joes at all scales, have done since the beginning.

PARTS.


M "Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind Of An Important Distinction" Sipher

This post has been edited by M Sipher: Jan 17 2012, 10:38 PM

[Sean Whitmore]

Actually, the snide comments take far more effort

Eh, it shouldn't count as work when it's so fun.

This post has been edited by Sean Whitmore: Jan 17 2012, 10:51 PM

[CORVUS]

I'm just waiting for the day Hasbro legal shuts down all the unlicensed conventions, the message boards and TFwiki as infinging on it's IP. Seems to be the direction they are going.

This slope! I can't keep my footing! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[Nyarlathotep]

This just in: Hasbro will not only be confiscating third-party and knock-off product but also melting them down on-site. They will then use the raw materials left to spell out "We want to destroy fun like Mignash says" in big letters.

Then the toxic fumes will be funnelled directly into orphanages.

[Darkstream]

I should point out that JoeCon is SWARMING with "aftermarket" parts for Joes at all scales, have done since the beginning.

PARTS.


M "Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiind Of An Important Distinction" Sipher

how so?

[Thylacine2000]

At the risk of drastically upping the hipsterism in this thread, part of me wishes this rule would only be enforced for NEW bootlegs... you know, the ones some people actually get excited about and pay hundreds of dollars for, that are such good ripoffs of TFs that they look and feel plausibly like the real thing.

I loved how at Botcon you could always find old crappy shabby hilarious knockoffs, like my white Cyclonus that has the approximate plastic consistency of that last sliver at the middle of a bar of soap. Ripoffs that are old and obvious should be okay. Those on which people actually try to base a business model shouldn't be.

Because everyone should have the chance to buy pseudo-Skygarry for $10 if they want. It's part of growing up.

[G.B.Blackrock]

I'm all for Hasbro cracking down on knock-offs. I do see third-party products (i.e., those that aren't straight copies of existing Hasbro/Takara toys) as something rather different, and thus shouldn't be as much of a problem. But if Hasbro wants to crack down on those, too, I'll not get too broken up about it.

Even so, I'm going to keep looking at them as two distinct categories.

[Daytonus]

I'm just waiting for the day Hasbro legal shuts down all the unlicensed conventions, the message boards and TFwiki as infinging on it's IP. Seems to be the direction they are going.

This slope! I can't keep my footing! WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I know that every time a cop shoots somebody, I'm afraid I might die for jaywalking.

[Kevin S]

Legality aside, I fully understand why this makes perfect sense. If this was a convention devoted to Spagetti-Os, it wouldn't make sense to let Shaw's brand generic Spagetti-O's be sold.

I just wonder if this ruling will apply to can openers & stickers who might infringe on the brand name.

I admit, I'm not as biased against 3rd party as some. To me, the question of their legality, is the same question, if Shaw's can produce it's own copy of Spagetti-Os. And maybe a question of if 3rd party are breaking standards laws. Since, I doubt they go through extensive product safety tests.

But that's just my view.

[Cat]

GUYS.

HASBRO JUST KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND SEARCHED MY WHOLE HOUSE FOR THIRD PARTY TOYS.

[Kevin S]

GUYS.

HASBRO JUST KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND SEARCHED MY WHOLE HOUSE FOR THIRD PARTY TOYS.

Well, at least they knocked. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/icon-arcee.gif)

Edit
Hey, I don't disagree that Mignash is a bit over the top, but my original post was to ask where the rules exactly lay. I mean when I went to NYCC, there was a big thing about what would not be allowed to be sold.

But I found a booth selling unlicensed TV series collections & swords were being sold everywhere.

I pointed out that Soundwave's headband sounds like it might infringe on this rule, unless it doesn't apply to accessory stuff.

So for me, I question to what extent Botcon will enforce the rules.

This post has been edited by Kevin S: Jan 18 2012, 06:44 AM

[Sean Whitmore]

Oh no, Hasbro went back in time and stole the Optimus stereo system I had in college!