RMMV Develop a FREE non-profit game based on a Movie/TV-Show?

[Mercedes90]

I know I cannot make a profit from a game based on a movie or a TV-Show without permission, and licenses, and all that stuff.

But if I make one, can I apply it and publish it completely for FREE on Steam and other platforms without being rejected?

 

[TheoAllen]

If the IP holder care enough about their IP and issue a DMCA takedown, then no.
The question is will you get enough of their attention or not.

 

[Mercedes90]

Well, that sucks..

 

[AphoticAmaranth]

Even if you're not making profits, there are other reasons why an IP holder might not want you to use their IP.

Perhaps they do not want others to misrepresent the IP, or for the free alternative to divert attention from their commercial products.

That being said though, some IPs have do fan guidelines that allow for derivative works. When in doubt, check with the IP holder themselves (if possible).

 

[kirbwarrior]

For an already existent example, Pokemon fan games run rampant, but popular ones and ones that mimic something coming out in the next game are the main two groups that get shut down.

However, you also brought up publishing the game. Legally speaking, that implies a form of ownership. And no matter how or why, that will look like lost money to the company. If your game is good, then the game being free means they aren't making money with their IP, and that assumes you aren't treating the IP differently than they want. If the game is bad, that harms reputation.

 

[ATT_Turan]

But if I make one, can I apply it and publish it completely for FREE on Steam and other platforms without being rejected?

This is (for some reason) a common misconception about copyright - you making money off of it has nothing to do with it. Copyright infringement is illegal.

I can't imagine your game getting through the Steam submission process without someone seeing that it's using another company's IP.

some IPs have do fan guidelines that allow for derivative works. When in doubt, check with the IP holder themselves (if possible).

This is true, although I'd strongly suspect it wouldn't extend beyond, say, hosting it on your own Web site. And while I'm not a world expert, I don't think I've seen anything like this outside of some novels...I don't think you'll get anywhere with a movie/TV show property.

 

[Mercedes90]

I understand. Thanks, everyone!

 

[Arthran]

I know I cannot make a profit from a game based on a movie or a TV-Show without permission, and licenses, and all that stuff.

But if I make one, can I apply it and publish it completely for FREE on Steam and other platforms without being rejected?

If the movie or TV-Show is Japanese, you possibly can. You could even sell your game, possibly. In Japan, there's an entire industry built around fan-made derivative works. Comiket is an event specifically created for people to sell and buy such things, and it attracts over 600,000 fans per year. There are also online shops and brick-and-mortar stores that sell doujinshi all year round.

In Japan, it's basically considered legal until the IP holder files a complaint, and most of them don't. Some publishers even explicitly/officially allow it, provided that certain guidelines are followed. But there are definite exceptions. For example, Nintendo will come after you pretty fast if you try to make a Pokemon game.

Kinda just depends on what you wanna do, and how you wanna do it. I doubt you could publish a doujin game on Steam, but there are places where you could publish it (such as DLsite).

But if you're wanting to make a game based on an US intellectual property, then you're pretty much out of luck.

 

[Shaz]

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