A big story broke last week while everyone was distracted with Adepticon, but it turns out that Games Workshop is at it again throwing out legal threats.
This time they are attacking a giveaway model by a small miniature company Blight Wheel miniatures. Making matters worse the model is a giveaway for the Salute wargaming traders convention, so imagine what everyone was talking about? The model is a Lizard with a gun on its belly.
Here is a picture of the offending model,
Games Workshop feels like the model violates a drawing of creature found in the obscure Sabbat Worlds Crusade 2005 paperback. Here is the drawing in question.
On the surface GW has a better legal standing than the Chapterhouse case, but this still reeks of corporate bullying. As you can see it is pretty clear that the Komodo Warrior is “inspired” by the drawing. It is very possible GW is well within their rights here, for a drawing that will never be made into model.
Instead of just letting a few hundred give away models go unnoticed, they decided it was better PR attacking a small manufacturer. Defending the copyright on a drawing is also treacherous, because if Lucas cannot win against someone making Stormtrooper costumes, what chances does GW have defending a drawing? By claiming infringement across two different mediums it looks like GW trying to patent troll Blight Wheel into oblivion.
Here is GW’s legal “request”
Like I said this isn’t clear-cut and you can make a strong case for GW, but don’t you think letting this one go, would be the better course of action?
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