Yup, the Internet works - especially when cool people are cool. Thanks for getting in touch in such a positive manner. I'd actually been dreading reading the comments to that post, mostly because I savaged the sexism in the series. Anywho, I have gone ahead and added an update to the review, that includes this statement right near the start: "[Update: it turns out there is some significant controversy over Mr. Kong's self-declaration of paternity over the genre, and attempts at trademarking the term. I've been contacted by some passionate members of the larger LitRPG and GameLit communities, who are working hard to keep this from happening. As someone who has dealt with trademark issues in the past, I can sympathize, so I'm adding this note to be clear that I'm now aware that this book series did NOT invent LitRPG. If you want to read some excellent discussion of the issues surrounding this, check out https://litrpgforum.com/]."
Have some (mostly harmless, mostly worthless) LitCoin, sir! Seriously, though. I appreciate the effort to come here and listen to passionate fans. Well, I'm the only one here at the moment, but I imagine others will stop by sometime today.
I'm just bumping this back to the top, because I think it's important to keep our eyes on this. And because I just used the data and points made here to point out to an author on anther forum why we should NOT be backing away from LitRPG just to avoid the "copyright controversy".
Well I wasn't about to stop using it, though I wasn't too sure at first. But not using it just plays into the claim soooooo I'd also love to know where this stands and how we keep an eye on it?
I have a trademark attorney, but I need to reach out and likely pay him money. Anyone interested in pitching in once I get to that point?
I'm good for that, but, personally, I don't think it's worth the bother, not for the supplemental register... just keep the forum up and don't try and impede the lateral growth of LitRPG...
I agree with @Alexis Keane. Producing a fuckton of LitRPG books and merchandise, and using the term all the f**cking time, is a better preventative than a trademark attorney at this point.
I wouldn't have anything against this. But I'm not rich, so it'd be a meager amount -- I probably couldn't exceed like $100 However I do agree with @Alexis Keane Keeping the genre tag alive in just day to day things, keeping it on our books, keeping it incirculation including sites/articles/forums... People used it before he did, and people are using it now. Don't give in to his ego stroke, and keep it alive.
It will be interesting to see if the courts feel people are likely to be confused between ice cream and water.
Interesting, but in this case DQ was using the name for 60 odd years before the appearance of the Water, not jumping into a genre loosely titled LitRPG by its initial authors and then deciding to take it as their own
