Seems we will never be rid of Harmony gold.

[Wantoomany]

https://www.denofgeek.com/us/tv/robotech/282027/the-robotechmacross-license-has-been-extended-exclusive

Looks like HG's Robotech rights wont expire in 2021 after all. This is some really depressing news.

[OrbPlaytime]

Too early to say if this has any impact, and quite possibly not.
Piranha Games in 2018 settled with Harmony Gold with the Piranha president stating (more so for MWO I appreciate but still);
"Harmony Gold and Piranha Games are delighted to announce that they have ended their dispute. Piranha Games will continue to use the “classic” BattleTech designs and Harmony Gold and Piranha Games look forward to continuing to serve their respective fans and customers."
http://www.sarna.net/news/harmony-gold-and-piranha-games-lawsuit-has-been-resolved/

Unfortunately due to the privacy for the settlement it is difficult to truly know the ramifications this settlement has, also the nuance is subtly different to HBS case but still the Piranha Games situation was about the classic unseen mechs.

Here is the HBS case where it was Dismissal with Prejudice also in 2018 and was around 10 weeks before the Harmony Gold settlement with PGI; which may have some weight on why the settlement agreement by Harmony Gold later on with PGI.
http://www.sarna.net/news/harmony-golds-case-against-harebrained-schemes-dismissed/
The article did not cover other aspects also raised by Harmony Gold as part of their lawsuit.

That said even if HBS/Paradox can use the classic Unseen now, I tend to think these will be held back for a completely new game to sustain high interest and potential sales in the new venture.

[Langkard]

Originally posted by OrbPlaytime:

That said even if HBS/Paradox can use the classic Unseen now, I tend to think these will be held back for a completely new game to sustain high interest and potential sales in the new venture.

You may be right, but I hope this isn't the case. I'd like to see some Unssen mechs appear in the Heavy Metal DLC. Meanwhile, I'll just keep using the BattleTech 3025 Extended mod, where the Unseen are available.

[Werecat101]

Damn I was hoping all that was going away and the world would get a better deal.

The big question is did they clear up all the grey area claims made by HG about rights that even Tatsunoko said were not included.

[Socipat]

It has already been hinted that the some of the Macross unseen will be in Heavy Metal.

With this last bit of info HG actions make more sense. If I remember correctly in order to keep the licenses they have to produce something with the brand or actively defend it when someone attempts to use the IP.

In this case they took HBS and PGI to court. HBS rolled with out a fight but PGI was like screw you. In the end it looks like a win-win for both companies. HG gets to keep the Robotech license and PGI unlocked the Macross Unseen for Battletech, using in house imagery.

[Daneel]

We don't need the unseen for BT; the rest of the lore and mechs are fine.

[Warlok]

Question - how did Jordan Weismann and Harmony Gold come into conflict in the first place over these mech designs? I remember long ago purchasing the first boxed edition of Battletech, with the Warhammer on the cover. The Warhammer, Marauder, Rifleman, Phoenix Hawk, and Archer seem to be the primary designs... how did these get used in the first place? Did FASA and Harmony Gold have an agreement? Did they not?

[Werecat101]

Originally posted by Warlok:

Question - how did Jordan Weismann and Harmony Gold come into conflict in the first place over these mech designs? I remember long ago purchasing the first boxed edition of Battletech, with the Warhammer on the cover. The Warhammer, Marauder, Rifleman, Phoenix Hawk, and Archer seem to be the primary designs... how did these get used in the first place? Did FASA and Harmony Gold have an agreement? Did they not?

so you missed the whole 30 year well documented reasons behind the Unseen argument.

[Warlok]

I simply never read about it, no.

Found a link. http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Unseen

[Asmosis]

The guy that has the disputed rights is pretty old right? will these claims die with him (literally)?

Originally posted by Daneel:

We don't need the unseen for BT; the rest of the lore and mechs are fine.

Also this. There's dozens and dozens of mechs available, and with the original creators on board there is no reason they can't just make some NEW MECHS i mean how long has it been since a new mech (not just variant) was created? 20 years? 30?

Games progress and evolve over time. battletech needs to do the same eventually.

[terrycpa1972]

They have already said that some of the unseen are coming to the game. Certainly the ones that were on the original list of mechs. So whether harmony keeps their rights or not that won't make a difference. Had they lost them then they would belong to someone else (they wouldn't just vanish).

[Werecat101]

I think we will get the ones that are in Mech Warrior Online but they wont make new models for any others.

[Werecat101]

Originally posted by terrycpa1972:

They have already said that some of the unseen are coming to the game. Certainly the ones that were on the original list of mechs. So whether harmony keeps their rights or not that won't make a difference. Had they lost them then they would belong to someone else (they wouldn't just vanish).

yes and no if the rights to Robotech were lost, the rights would revert to the creators of the original designs being Tatsunoko originals, and being honest since the Japanese have more or less ignored the whole situation I couldn't see them wanting a big argument now.

[OrbPlaytime]

Originally posted by steve:

Originally posted by terrycpa1972:

They have already said that some of the unseen are coming to the game. Certainly the ones that were on the original list of mechs. So whether harmony keeps their rights or not that won't make a difference. Had they lost them then they would belong to someone else (they wouldn't just vanish).

yes and no if the rights to Robotech were lost, the rights would revert to the creators of the original designs being Tatsunoko originals, and being honest since the Japanese have more or less ignored the whole situation I couldn't see them wanting a big argument now.

Shame the settlement between Harmony Gold and PGI is private, still if Harmony Gold thought the case likely to conclude in their favour looking at their past behaviour it is unlikely they would had settled like they did allowing PGI to continue as is, especially as it was about the classic/unseen mechs.

[Wantoomany]

I seriously doubt any settlement struck will apply for any future Battletech games beyond MW5. So while we might eventually get to see some of the unseen here and in MW5 when it finally gets released. Putting the unseen in Battletech 2 or MW6 might cause the entire legal poop show to start all over again.

Harmony Gold got what they wanted, a big fat check. Sure they settled, but winning the case really wouldn't of changed much for them, it would of just cost them more to get what they wanted, a pay check. And without a definitive judgement against them, there is nothing stopping HG continuing to troll like they have for the last 30 years.

[Warlok]

Some of the Mech designs look great. Some of the sketches found on that sarna page look cartoonish, and like crap. I am very - EXTREMELY glad folks are taking these things and revamping them... the Warhammer and King Crab are inspired, compared to some that are little more than 1950s moon-men/space alien schlock.

I remember that was the way the entries were in the first Technical Readout book for the boardgame - a few great designs (Thunderbolt), and a bunch of robotmen and bipedal trashcans.

I`m definitely not averse to blasting the crap out of some ugly designs in-game :) , but here is to Harebrained and Piranha picking the most worthy and making others that way.