Just curious... why does Bethesda attack their fans?

http://kotaku.com/5902536/bethesdas-lawyers-threaten-guy-giving-away-free-fallout-posters

I mean you could say this is your content, but then Fallout Nexus, No Mutants Allowed - etc, have existed for quite some time with no problems, and there's little, if any difference?

Just curious.

Because they're evil and heartless and want to watch the world burn.

In all seriousness though this will likely by locked. No discussing legal actions on the forums, etc.

Seems to be the posters he was selling were very much based on posters in the game created by Bethesda artists. That's a basis for copyright infringement. The mods and fan art people create from scratch are their own works.

Since he had a website setup for the recreations specifically he was one step away from charging for them. Did he? Nope. But there is the chance that he'd start at some point.

The posters were not fan art, they were simply the in-game art put on posters. While the guy doesn't get money out of it, it's still copyright infringement so it allows Bethesda's lawyers to file suit, even if it's very petty in this case.

I think actually... just like Fallout Nexus - he was offering up the content for free. Unless the linked article is untruthful.

So Andersen sent a very polite, very considered letter back, outlining his case and why DLA Piper's points of contention don't apply to a guy giving away art on the internet. You can read both letters at the link below. The lawyers are yet to respond.

But isn't Fallout Nexus the exact same thing?

It makes some of us modders nervous you know?

While all Fallout related property is technically Bethesda owned. I fail to see how this is copyright infringing. The guy on that site was offering a free service to fans who want in-world posters. Bethesda isn't marketing any world posters, so it isnt like the user was infringing on Bethesda in any way.

No.


He's recreating stuff that Bethesda owns, that Bethesda sells, and giving it away for free.

Bingo.

Fair enough - but then why is Fallout Nexus allowed to survive? I'm sure I could find the same there.

Like these for instance:

http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/15917

They are custom - but use some default resources/artwork, just like the ones in question. Only difference being the artwork there on the Nexus, will be linked to internal references/resources in the game, but you COULD pull the artwork from that mod and make it a wallpaer, if you were so inclined.

As most all of the mods do - any mod at all, will contain 'intellecutal property' of some sort - and they are not on Bethesda's site.

Like they do on Fallout Nexus, right?

Companies have a legal responsibility to protect their IP which would include copies of in-game art in this case. That said, we don't allow discussion of legal issues that Bethesda is currently involved in on the forum. Sorry.