Why don't we just...

[bumblemusprime]

all go in on a 3D printer, and make our own third-party toys? Think of it. Sunyavadin could design them, MV could build the website, all of you could stump at cons, and I would be the mastermind who... makes money.

Come on, shouldn't we be the first to create the DJD everyone needs?

[Best First]

Yes.

Except the mastermind bit which is clearly me minion.

[Computron]

A serious question, but how do the third party manufacturer's get by all the IP and copyright issues?

Otherwise I'd love to have someone 3D Print TF's on the cheap.

[bumblemusprime]

I would really like to write an article about the third-party toy explosion of the last few years, but I'm having trouble tracking down anyone at the toy companies willing to talk.

[Best First]

yeah i keep wondering the same thing as Comps.

In some ways you could argue they are filling a void but more and more figures seem to be coming out that are activley competing with Masterpiece and Generations.

[bumblemusprime]

Compy, do you know enough about the potential legal hassles that you could give me an overview, explaining whether or not Hasbro has room for lawsuits?

[Computron]

Caveat, I'm not an IP attorney. Im also only an Illinois attorney, so nothing of what I say should be construed as applying anything other than Illinois or Federal law.

With that said, so much of copyright and IP law comes down to whether you are making money off someone else's idea or property.

Hasbro clearly has Transformers copyrighted and trademarked six ways to Sunday. Now, while there isn't a patent on robotic toys, you cant just start selling Optimus Prime trucks without permission.

The way I see it, these companies get away with the knockoffs because they are outside the U.S. and Hasbro doesnt want to chase after them around Asia. I doubt these 3rd party companies sell directly into the States or U.K., they probably use a series of re sellers to essentially launder the toys into the market.

That way the middlemen can say they are just fairly reselling property they own and the 3rd party companies can say they arent in the U.S. or U.K. market. (Obviously a B.S. argument but so much of jurisdiction over foreign companies comes down to how they do business in certain markets.)

If however a certain 3d printer in the State of Washington was to start selling these products, that might be a different story. Id wager youd get a cease and desist in minutes.

Now if you were making them purely for personal use and did not intend to sell them, then id wager you are in the clear.

[bumblemusprime]

Caveat, I'm not an IP attorney. Im also only an Illinois attorney, so nothing of what I say should be construed as applying anything other than Illinois or Federal law.

With that said, so much of copyright and IP law comes down to whether you are making money off someone else's idea or property.

Hasbro clearly has Transformers copyrighted and trademarked six ways to Sunday. Now, while there isn't a patent on robotic toys, you cant just start selling Optimus Prime trucks without permission.

The way I see it, these companies get away with the knockoffs because they are outside the U.S. and Hasbro doesnt want to chase after them around Asia. I doubt these 3rd party companies sell directly into the States or U.K., they probably use a series of re sellers to essentially launder the toys into the market.

That way the middlemen can say they are just fairly reselling property they own and the 3rd party companies can say they arent in the U.S. or U.K. market. (Obviously a B.S. argument but so much of jurisdiction over foreign companies comes down to how they do business in certain markets.)

If however a certain 3d printer in the State of Washington was to start selling these products, that might be a different story. Id wager youd get a cease and desist in minutes.

Now if you were making them purely for personal use and did not intend to sell them, then id wager you are in the clear.

Weirdly enough, MakeToys is based out of Japan, where you'd think Hasbro could rule in splendor. But I suppose this makes sense--TFSource buys a whole bunch of third-party toys and then sells the stock as a "limited release." I wonder if that's TFSource's term or the manufacturer's.

Anyway... where's Aaron when you need him? I bet we could get away with it if we located the printer in Malaysia.