Legendary Axe question

mac · 04/07/2013, 01:23 PM

Who owns the rights to Legendary Axe and Veigues Tactical Gladiator ?

Aware that Victor made the games but who actually owns the properties today ?

esteban · 04/07/2013, 03:00 PM

That's something even the lawyers involved with the intellectual property (IP) of officially sanctioned emulation (i.e. Wii Virtual Console) might not know.

ONE THING IS CLEAR: You cannot assume that the original rights-holder actually has possession. In the history of any company that has evolved/gone bankrupt/disappeared over the past few decades, you will discover that the IP has changed hands or (even worse) has entered "limbo" ....

'TIS A DAMN SHAME, of course.

Folks have proposed buying firesale IP so it can be loosed upon the world (for all to enjoy freely)... I would gladly contribute $$$ for such causes...

BOTTOM LINE: I HAVE NO ANSWER FOR YOU.

CrackTiger · 04/07/2013, 03:08 PM

Sega and Konami both own the rights to Frogger. These kinds of things often don't settle with a single rights owner. It may be a matter of who has the right to make decisions about the use of the property and then the other co-owners simply receive a share of any profits.

mac · 04/07/2013, 04:04 PM

LOL thanks guys.

So it appears that they may be lost forever

. The best I can figure is that maybe,possibly Marvelous Entertainment owns the rights ? They acquired Victor quite some time ago so one would assume nothing from I have learned today

Time to make some phone calls Monday

fraggore · 04/07/2013, 04:12 PM

so what you up to ?.

mac · 04/07/2013, 05:04 PM

Quote from: fraggore on 04/07/2013, 04:12 PMso what you up to ?.

more than likely chasing a ghost lol

ccovell · 04/08/2013, 01:19 AM

Quote from: mac on 04/07/2013, 01:23 PMWho owns the rights to Legendary Axe and Veigues Tactical Gladiator ?

Aware that Victor made the games but who actually owns the properties today ?

LA: Probably Tokuhiro Takemori who reused the same game engine 2 times (One was the unreleased Vasum on the MegaDrive.)

Veigues: GameArts.

mac · 04/08/2013, 08:04 AM

Quote from: ccovell on 04/08/2013, 01:19 AM
Quote from: mac on 04/07/2013, 01:23 PMWho owns the rights to Legendary Axe and Veigues Tactical Gladiator ?

Aware that Victor made the games but who actually owns the properties today ?
LA: Probably Tokuhiro Takemori who reused the same game engine 2 times (One was the unreleased Vasum on the MegaDrive.)

Veigues: GameArts.

Thank you sir. That would be interesting if the creator got to keep their own work ?

From what I can tell if Tokuhiro Takemori does not own Axe it could possibly belong to Sammy. Looks like the developer for Axe was company known as Aicom who was purchased by Sammy in the 90's.

retroguy · 04/08/2013, 09:32 AM

Are you trying to create an officially approved remake or something? 'Cause if you are, that'd be awesome and you should totally release it on XBLA. As much as I don't like Microsoft, I gotta admit, they've made a great platform for indie developers.

bob · 04/08/2013, 09:48 AM

IP chasing can (and will) be very frustrating. I tried to track down a defunct skateboard company a few years ago with no luck. Can be like tracing a family tree. When you think you reach the top, you fall off a branch.

CrackTiger · 04/08/2013, 11:11 AM

Quote from: ccovell on 04/08/2013, 01:19 AM
Quote from: mac on 04/07/2013, 01:23 PMWho owns the rights to Legendary Axe and Veigues Tactical Gladiator ?

Aware that Victor made the games but who actually owns the properties today ?
LA: Probably Tokuhiro Takemori who reused the same game engine 2 times (One was the unreleased Vasum on the MegaDrive.)

Veigues: GameArts.

Did he not work on both Astyanax games?

mac · 04/08/2013, 12:42 PM

Quote from: retroguy on 04/08/2013, 09:32 AMAre you trying to create an officially approved remake or something? 'Cause if you are, that'd be awesome and you should totally release it on XBLA. As much as I don't like Microsoft, I gotta admit, they've made a great platform for indie developers.

Agreed would be nice to see a remake but is something I alone don't have the talent for. Would I be willing to participate/fund that hypothetical project ? Yes.

Right now I am just trying to find out who owns the IP. Which is not going to be a easy task lol.

ccovell · 04/09/2013, 10:45 AM

Quote from: guest on 04/08/2013, 11:11 AMDid he not work on both Astyanax games?

Exactly. Astyanax, Axe, Vasum. https://www.chrismcovell.com/secret/MD__1990Q3.html

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Legendary Axe question