Now, since we're on the subject of Trademarks and possible issues, I figured I'd link something near to LitRPG in the Geek-o-sphere - and use it as an example why Trademarks can be dangerous. Keep in mind this is clearly higher level than a few authors. https://www.deseretnews.com/article...t-lake-comic-con-name-violates-trademark.html There's more articles on the topic, but that's enough for anyone nosey to get started. Might kill a few minutes... Happy Friday.
This was posted recently on the Writer's Café forum: "Not a LitRPG writer, but I read that Aleron Kong has successfully trademarked the term "LitRPG." How do you see that affecting your attempts to market your novels now?" Actually, he has not. He has only applied for the trademark. He and his attorney have completed all of the preliminary paperwork and the notice of the application is scheduled to be published on January 2, 2018. Once it's published (it's called being "published for opposition"), anyone who can put forth their argument in a cogent manner can file an opposition. This, from the official government site: Any entity that thinks it will be harmed by registration of the mark has thirty days from the day the mark is published in the Trademark Official Gazette in which to file an opposition. However, as noted below, extensions of time may be granted, extending that period up to six months.
Either way, it's a bad, bad thing in my eyes. It effects so many people he doesn't get along with for whatever reason. Thanks for letting us know, tho! Attorneys are being consulted about best way to handle this issue. Welcome aboard.
for one stop trying to push alternate terms like gamer lit its most likely just going to hurt any case being made against this
GameLit is something that we created back in September BEFORE all this BS. Don't get me wrong, I agree that everyone needs to calm down before jumping ship, but GameLit isn't an alternative term for LitRPG, and since it's inception we've been trying to make it clear that it's not a substitute for LitRPG. Problem is that people are now retreating to GameLit because LitRPG just has too much shit associated with it, and now members of the pro-LitRPG crowd are trying to turn it into this sort of evil mistress that's luring the good LitRPG folk away from their wives. Thoughts @Dustin Tigner and @Matthew Sylvester?
Scarlet Letter material right here. Dirty filthy whores of Game Lit street. They'll give you a good time for a few bucks an and hour of your life....
I'm still figuring out the terms and I know there is probably plenty of crossover, but what is the difference between GameLit, LitRPG, and Portal Fantasy?
Correct me if I'm wrong but I've always thought that "portal fantasy" is any kind of story where the MC ends up in a different world. Like Narnia or time travel. Sort of "fish out of water" thing.
GameLit is a subgenre of portal fantasy, and LitRPG is a subgenre of GameLit, would be my guess. And you’re not wrong, that’s exactly what portal fantasy is.
This is not my point im trying to say if you want to make a genericide argument (which I know verry little about) it seems contrary to start using a new term in the middle of the case and the more LitRPG gets used the harder it is to inforce.
So what is GameLit compared to LitRPG? Is GameLit "any game" and LitRPG is specifically "computer based" games or....?
I think you misunderstand how tired some people are of the whole control thing. From the beginning Kong has tried to control LitRPG and it has caused many arguments and divisions among the various groups. It has ultimately led to him trying to Trademark the name, which sparked a lot of outrage the first time, and even more so this time. I'm not painting him in a bad light, just stating facts. Truth is, he is great at marketing, but has a god awful business sense. The idea that some one 'bad' could have came in and taken the trademark is ridiculous, especially given that he has a well established timeline. Which, and this is speculation, leads me to believe that the 'bad' people are other LitRPG authors he does not want to gain control. Some authors are just tired of it and don't care anymore. LitRPG is just one brand, and this Trademark shit put GameLit on the map. GameLit had nothing to do with the Trademark and everything to do with providing a brand for those people that wrote 'in a game' books that had no stats. A place they would not get review bombed because they weren't 'LitRPG' enough. Kong is the largest catalyst to GameLit's growth, because authors are just tired of fighting with him. Personally, I just want to write, and stay the f out of this crap. But what a lot of readers, mostly in the LitRPG Facebook group, fail to realize is that publishing is the business side of what we do. You don't build your business on some one else's 'good intentions' unless you are just asking for trouble. Authors will stop visibly showing the LitRPG tag on their books and cover art because why risk legal action when you can tag it behind the scenes and move on? LitRPG as an actual category in Amazon is not going to happen now. Any author that has dealt with Amazon on the publishing side will tell you they are a bunch of assholes, and they will just ignore LitRPG because they aren't going to pay for the rights or deal with the legality of it. Personally, I don't even care that he does not own the brand yet. He did enough damage that it doesn't matter. The issue is that a genre is supposed to be in public domain for a reason, it prevents any legal ramifications. He may not have control of it yet, but can you say definitively he won't in five years? No one can, which makes it a risk and uncertainty, and that is more than enough reason to stop using the term visibly, at least for me. I'll let the readers decide what it is. @Wyvern GameLit are stories that are essentially in a game, but have no stats. Its a broader genre and more inclusive. LitRPG stories are GameLit stories with stats. GameLit is not a competing name with LitRPG, unlike how most people want to dog it as such. It was designed to be much more inclusive to all game story writers. If your book has stats the its technically both GameLit and LitRPG, and you can tag your story with both. You can read more here: gamelit.org
Hmm, honestly "gamelit.org" isn't helpful unless I'm missing how to read more....? I may be, but I've clicked all over the page and all it does is make bubbles move. It literally just says... So it's giving me a general idea, but not really any examples or a list of authors or anything to research.
One example is Ready Player One, by t LitRPG standards it is NOT a LitRPG book, but it is a GameLit story.
