

Ask HN: Digitalizing board games? - mgallivan

Let's say I wanted to create a video game called Bonopoly. It would have Monopoly's game mechanics. Is this legal?<p>What if I changed the game board to a circle. Is this legal?<p>What if I changed the name to B!, changed the game board to a circle, and allowed you to go either way around the board. Is this legal?<p>Can someone draw a line in the sand for me?  (Obviously, seek a lawyer and whatnot - but just as general advice...)
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koopajah
I'm not a lawyer but I found some links that might interest you so I hope this
helps.

An interesting link about this :
[http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/12/22/patenting-board-
games-1...](http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/12/22/patenting-board-
games-101/id=21356/)

Also the paragraph about Monopoly on its Wikipedia page :
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_board_game_Monop...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_board_game_Monopoly#Legal_status)

This seem to indicate that a board game can be patented not only on its design
or its name but also on its rules. So this seem to show that you cannot decide
to take your favourite board game, "digitalize" it and just change the name
and be of the hook.

The same seem to apply to Games on TV where channels pay rights to make their
own version of the game in another country for example/

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njharman
Mechanics are not protected by U.S. copyright. A specific description of those
mechanics (aka "text of the rules") is.

Monopoly is a TradeMark and Bonopoly is (I bet a jury will agree) confusingly
similar.

The line is, if you get the attention of someone big (or big headed) they will
sue and or threaten to sue. Even if you are legally in the right it will
probably not be in your financial interests to defend yourself.

So, \- Don't be a dick. \- Do not use any names, art, design from the
original. \- Don't do this for profit. It will never be profitable. \- Make
your electronic version, but be prepared to dump it when you get cease and
desist order.

~~~
mgallivan
I can appreciate that. The question wasn't intended to be, "What game can I
rip onto Android?" as much as it was, "If I make a game, how certain do I have
to be that the mechanics don't exist already?"

Obviously, if I use a different name, artwork, and rule set there isn't really
a problem.

~~~
koopajah
I'd say the same apply as for any other business. If something already exists
then they could sue you to stop distributing your game and/or pay for
royalties. So before starting the full development you should make sure that
your version of the game is not a copy of an existing one. And changing one
minor rule (going to both sides) or replacing terms like "hotel" becoming
"skyscrappers" will look like complete copy.

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anigbrowl
It's all legal. What you're really asking is whether Parker Brothers (or
whoever publishes Monopoly nowadays) could sue you and win. To which my non-
lawyer answers would be: yes, yes, and most likely.The longer it would take to
demonstrate the similar, the better your chances; in other words, the more you
tweak and change the rules, the more it becomes your own thing.

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mikecane
I know nothing about this, but this is interesting:
[http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/141439/the-unofficial-
comp...](http://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/141439/the-unofficial-complete-
list-of-unauthorized-produ)

