Board Game Arena

Why is Perudo in Alpha

From the BGA team a few days ago:
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Dear players, because of some right issues raised by Perudo publishers, we have to temporarily remove Perudo from BGA.

You should be able to finish your ongoing games, but new table creation is blocked.

We are working hard to make sure this removal is as short as possible. Thanks a lot for your understanding.
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The only game I play in BGA is PERUDO. I am a premium subscriber. Do I get my subscription refunded? I dont come to BGA for any other game.

RESTORE PERUDO!!!!

creag the pyrate wrote: ↑05 July 2022, 17:18 The only game I play in BGA is PERUDO. I am a premium subscriber. Do I get my subscription refunded? I dont come to BGA for any other game.

You can always ask for it through the support/contact. I don't know if they'll do it, but I think it would be fair for them to do so.

This doesn't make any sense because there are no rights to Perudo, unless the implementation is using a scan of an actual commercial playmat, and that's easy to fix. Perudo is hundreds of years old. It's in the public domain.

tabicat wrote: ↑17 July 2022, 18:40 This doesn't make any sense because there are no rights to Perudo, unless the implementation is using a scan of an actual commercial playmat, and that's easy to fix. Perudo is hundreds of years old. It's in the public domain.

The current implementation use a name, a symbol on the "1" of the dice, and maybe a few additional things that are under trademark, and all images are under copyright. All of those is easily fixed, however:

• I don't think there is an active developer on Perudo currently. Last bug fixed was 1 year ago. The fact that the game was downgraded to Alpha doesn't mean that someone took back the responsibility of maintaining this game. And "easily fixed" still need at least one person who care enough to fix it.
• It is likely that BGA doesn't want to start a war against publishers by converting a game they obtain by collaborating with them into its public domain version. Most game mechanics cannot be protected by trademark/copyright/etc, so it's technically legal to get rid of all the graphics and names of Settlers of Catan but use the exact same set of rules to obtain a public domain game which you could call "Colonist" or something. And the same apply to almost every game. Setting a precedent like that with Perudo would be bad for relations with the gaming industry, and might even be vetoed by Asmodee now that they own the place.