Single table releases - are they going to be the new normal?

[Sean DonCarlos]

Just a side thought, does anyone know if there any issues for FS not being able to sell tables after current licence agreements expire?

They can only sell the tables while the license agreements are still valid. Once they expire, that's it unless the licenses are renewed. Anyone who has the tables can continue to play them, but new copies of the tables can no longer be sold at that point.

For example, Terminator 2 will only be available for a couple of years, as the studio that holds the Terminator rights is coming out with a new movie and did not want to grant FarSight a longer license.

 

[dtown8532]

I'm gonna agree with Espy on this. While there are still lots of tables that you, me and some other guy (or gal) want, how many of them are desired across a large spectrum? When you cut out the heavy licenses you start getting a lot of "fan faves." Basically, the one's that have their niche supporters. Using that thought, make a list of nine more tables to finish out season three (if season three is ten tables total). After that, make a list of another ten for a season four. Look at those titles you picked. Guarantee, there's going to be "fan faves" in there.

Nonetheless, I think, that if season three sells well and still makes FarSight money, we'll see a season four. If not, it's been a good ride and I'm thankful this little game came along.

 

[Roo]

For example, Terminator 2 will only be available for a couple of years, as the studio that holds the Terminator rights is coming out with a new movie and did not want to grant FarSight a longer license.

And this is what I hate about licensing. I'm sure Farsight's license is specifically limited to the recreation of the Terminator 2 pinball table and nothing else. How could it possibly interfere with an upcoming movie in any way? The only thing it could possibly do is raise awareness of the Terminator brand as a whole, which would be good for them. It's not like Farsight would be able to take their license and make a third person shooter based on the new movie that competes with a different tie-in video game they were planning or something. Do the lawyers not understand the products they are licensing?

 

[SilverBalls]

Thanks for the licensing explanation Sean. I hope that the licences can be renewed at a cost where FS can sell enough copies of the game in the future to justify the renewal fee.

 

[RetroDude]

Unless FarSight and the various license holders make official announcements detailing the particulars of their licensing agreements, speculation will remain speculation. It's not very often that details of such things are given much public airing.

 

[brakel]

It's quite likely that the T2 license agreement is different than the Williams agreement. The Williams agreement might allow for the continued sales of tables that have already been published. The Terminator people are going to want more control over the window of licensed products. If Arnold Schwarzenegger isn't involved in the reboot of the Terminator property then they wouldn't want any Schwarzenegger branded property for sale because they want everyone to associate Terminator with the newly branded property only. There's no reason why Williams wouldn't want their per table license fee!

 

[Sean DonCarlos]

Unless FarSight and the various license holders make official announcements detailing the particulars of their licensing agreements, speculation will remain speculation. It's not very often that details of such things are given much public airing.

The Terminator 2 arrangement was discussed in one of Bobby's interviews with Jeff. What I said is not speculation.

 

[jaredmorgs]

We haven't even got a table builder yet.

To quote Will Smith in ID4 "I don't hear no fat lady"...

 

[RetroDude]

The Terminator 2 arrangement was discussed in one of Bobby's interviews with Jeff. What I said is not speculation.

Understood and accepted.

However, the comments about Terminator 2 are not the only posts in the forums discussing licensing.

I was talking in generic terms, and as such my comment is still quite accurate.

It's rare that companies disclose the details of their licensing agreements in public.
The release by in the interviews of some of the Terminator 2 licensing information is one of those very rare occasions.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if such release of that information wasn't contrary to the terms of the agreement though.

I'm not going to argue about it. Just stating facts.
(I've been privy to and have signed plenty of NDAs in my career.)

 

[Sean]

Only thing that's occurred to me regarding the loss of a license like T2 is that it will have expired by the time I get a new iPad. Anyone know if the table data, i.e. The tables themselves, is part of what's backed up in an iPad backup in iTunes? Otherwise I guess I have to accept I'll be losing this one someday...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Bowflex]

Only thing that's occurred to me regarding the loss of a license like T2 is that it will have expired by the time I get a new iPad. Anyone know if the table data, i.e. The tables themselves, is part of what's backed up in an iPad backup in iTunes? Otherwise I guess I have to accept I'll be losing this one someday...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

No, if you bought it on a specific platform, you will be able to continue using it until that platform goes away. So steam and iOS are much longer term platforms than ps3 which is starting to be phased out with the introduction of ps4. You'll have t2 for years to come, just won't ever have it on a ps5.

 

[Bowflex]

Understood and accepted.

However, the comments about Terminator 2 are not the only posts in the forums discussing licensing.

I was talking in generic terms, and as such my comment is still quite accurate.

It's rare that companies disclose the details of their licensing agreements in public.
The release by in the interviews of some of the Terminator 2 licensing information is one of those very rare occasions.
Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if such release of that information wasn't contrary to the terms of the agreement though.

I'm not going to argue about it. Just stating facts.
(I've been privy to and have signed plenty of NDAs in my career.)

They actually discussed certain aspects of the timing before the license was even signed or the kickstarter finished. If it was a major violation, t2 probably wouldn't even be available anymore. It's still on the marketplace so I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Sean]

No, if you bought it on a specific platform, you will be able to continue using it until that platform goes away. So steam and iOS are much longer term platforms than ps3 which is starting to be phased out with the introduction of ps4. You'll have t2 for years to come, just won't ever have it on a ps5.

Ah so you're saying once bought it's in your table collection, it's just that newcomers won't see it for sale? That's cool. Of course the iPad Air is so perfect I'd need a real reason to upgrade it; giving my 3rd gen to my daughter for school was a convenient excuse, but I'm not someone who needs the latest kit otherwise.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[superballs]

Ah so you're saying once bought it's in your table collection, it's just that newcomers won't see it for sale? That's cool. Of course the iPad Air is so perfect I'd need a real reason to upgrade it; giving my 3rd gen to my daughter for school was a convenient excuse, but I'm not someone who needs the latest kit otherwise.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Even if you go from one iPad to a newer iPad, it will still remain in your collection as it will be tied to your iTunes account, not the specific iDevice. If you were to switch to Android or PS4 or PC on the other hand....different story.

 

[Sean]

Even if you go from one iPad to a newer iPad, it will still remain in your collection as it will be tied to your iTunes account, not the specific iDevice. If you were to switch to Android or PS4 or PC on the other hand....different story.

I get that, but it wasn't clear to me that it would be there to redownload. After I got my Air I had to install everything from scratch and that meant re-downloading all my tables in TPA so if they lost the rights to sell T2 I was thinking that would also mean it was removed from their servers for download.