Tag: MKR Productions
Sueing Culture
by andres on Feb.27, 2008, under Headline News
Amazingly, people have kept reading my blog despite my absence. This makes me pleased.
I am, however, back, and despite being on a schedule directly from Hell I’ve found a small cranny (namely, the time before I wake up and go to class on Wednesday mornings, while eating) in which I can research and write something or another resembling a valid observation.
Today, we have a spectacular and completely forseeable suit by Dawn of the Dead holders MKR Productions against Capcom, for trademark infringement within their game, Dead Rising. The reason we could all see this coming is because not more than three weeks ago Capcom filed a pre-emptive suit against MKR in order to try to protect their game from future liability by suggesting that zombie invasions are an “unprotectable theme”.
What’s MKR Production’s response?
They’re both funny. That’s right–MKR is trying to get Capcom on the technicality that both games are “dark comedies”, in which “the recreational activities of the zombies and absurdly grotesque ‘kill scenes’ provide unexpected comedic relief.” Supposedly, this indicates Dead Rising is trying to provide social commentary on the mall culture zeitgeist, as well as provide sensationalist violence.
This is such a loose and subjective argument I have trouble even wanting to look at it, despite it’s from Reuters. I agree that Dead Rising is in no way even a foot apart from Dawn of the Dead, but I have to say the loophole through which MKR are trying to drive is almost preposterous. I wasn’t expecting Capcom to get away with their preemptive suit, but this is just an absurdity.
In general, I’ve found that the”suing culture” of the United States, among other countries, is spectacularly unfathomable to me. It seems people will sue for anything around here, and find the most miniscule and horrendous details on which to base their suits. Everything is technicality.
You know how many scandal suits I hear about in Mexico? Zero. We also have a Judicial system that’s about as efficient as picking hay up with rope, but for us to not have any real lawsuits hit the fan?
I don’t know where it comes from.