Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

General discussion on board games
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Mine Hawk
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Joined: 15 January 2022, 22:51

Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by Mine Hawk »

I wonder why we can't see any big companies like Hasbro, Parker, MB etc. I remember, I had a account on before on 2020 and I immediately deleted because I can't see any of games of theirs. (Later I opened this account for Valiantlion's request, kudos to him 👏) if this is money, they can make their games under "Premium tag" but I think BGA has got another problems with them which I don't know.
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thoun
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Joined: 10 December 2020, 22:25

Re: Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by thoun »

Most of the time it's licencing issues with publisher indeed. It can also be an author asking for his game not to be on BGA.
And if there is no licencing issue, you also need a dev willing to do it and having the time to do it :)
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robinzig
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Re: Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by robinzig »

I think for those publishers you mention - Hasbro, MB etc - there isn't really much interest from BGA in having their games on the platform. (Perhaps I'm wrong, and the admins have asked, but I'm inclined to doubt it for the reasons I'm about to give.) Those publishers concentrate on mass market games - like eg Monopoly. BGA is more about the "hobby game" community - and while sure there is some overlap, for the most part these are different worlds in terms of the kinds of games players are looking for. Even the most popular "hobby games" - things like Catan and Carcassonne (which are both on BGA) - have nowhere near the recognition among the general public that games like Monopoly and the like do. But those mass-market games tend not to be well enjoyed by hobby gamers either, so I don't know how much demand there is from BGA's existing user base for games like those.

Even if I'm wrong and BGA would really want these mass-market games, while they can certainly ask the publisher, I doubt they'd be given permission. There are far more likely to be officially licensed platforms to play those online, where the publisher gets a lot more say and can ask for fancy graphics/animations and so on, the likes of which just won't be possible on BGA. Plus of course alternative platforms are no doubt much easier for publishers to make money out of than BGA.
pjt33
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Joined: 05 April 2020, 15:35

Re: Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by pjt33 »

Yahtzee's a Hasbro game and is on BGA, so it's not a complete rejection on either side.
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ufm
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Re: Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by ufm »

Game rules themselves cannot be patented, but artworks, logos, card designs, and other identities can be trademarked.
Also, Hasbro won't bother if the service doesn't harm them or grossly violate trademark laws.
So, yup, Yahtzee, Connect Four, and Pente are from Hasbro but they can stay on BGA.
And if needed BGA may change their names to keep the game on the platform.

Monopoly? Fat chance.
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voriki
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Re: Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by voriki »

ufm wrote: 21 September 2022, 15:02 Monopoly? Fat chance.
Hasbro has a monopoly on Monopoly, bro. :)
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Xapa
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Joined: 29 March 2015, 21:38

Re: Do BGA has got licence problems on big companies?

Post by Xapa »

It may be linked witht the fact that BGA belongs to the Asmodee Group since 2021? :-) (yet to be clear, I have no issue with that)
https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/1144 ... a-analysis
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