Terry Pearson's Journal: Developer Of Risk For Google Maps Told To Remove Game

Samzenpus alerted Slashdot about a Google Maps version of Risk back on Nov 09. Since that time, the game has caught the attention of people around the world, including Google Code.

It appears that hasbro entertainment did not like all this publicity for their once very cool game. On December 1, hasbro sent a cease and desist order to the genius who created this Google Maps game. Could hasbro be attempting to be the RIAA of board games?

The cease and desist order reads as follows:

Dear Mr. Hazen:

We are counsel for Hasbro, Inc. (.Hasbro.), the owner of the copyrights and trademarks for the famous RISK game. We write concerning the online .Risk. game (the .Game.) that you have made available for use in conjunction with Google maps at your website www.ashotoforangejuice.com/gmrisk.html. Your Game appears to copy elements of Hasbro.s RISK game and rules as well as its trademark. The RISK game, including the rules, is the copyrighted property of Hasbro. Hasbro also owns the trademark rights to the RISK name. Your unauthorized use of the RISK game constitutes copyright infringement in violation of 17 U.S.C. 501. Your unauthorized use of the RISK name also violates the federal trademark laws, including 15 U.S.C. 1114(1) and 1125(a), by creating a likelihood of confusion with respect to Hasbro.s authorization or sponsorship of or association with your commercial activities. Even if confusion were not likely, your unauthorized use of these elements is likely to dilute the distinctive quality of the RISK game and trademark and hamper their ability to function as source-identifying marks in violation of 15 U.S.C. 1125(c) and numerous state anti-dilution laws.
We therefore demand that you immediately cease and desist from any further use of the RISK game and mark by removing the Game and all references to it from your website.
Please confirm to me in writing as soon as possible, and in any event within ten (10) days of receipt of this letter your agreement to the above. This letter does not purport to be a complete statement of the facts or the law and is without prejudice to Hasbro.s legal and equitable rights. Sincerely yours,

Carin G. Reynolds