Obsidian and Bethesda have faced legal issues for the inclusion of the Rorschach Test in Fallout: New Vegas without obtaining the corresponding rights. This psychological test, which invites participants to interpret inkblots, is used within the game to determine character skills, a nod to character creation in previous titles like Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls: Arena. However, a recent interview with Chris Avellone, former creative director of Obsidian, revealed that the studio and Bethesda mistakenly assumed that the test was in the public domain, as its creator passed away in 1922. Rights […]
This psychological test, which invites participants to interpret inkblots, is used within the game to determine character skills, a nod to character creation in previous titles like Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls: Arena.
The situation highlights the complexity of copyright and trademark rights in the video game industry, as trademark rights can be renewed indefinitely, unlike copyright rights which have a specific duration.
In this case a Swiss publisher has maintained its claim over the Rorschach Test for decades, leading developers to face legal actions for its unauthorized use. Avellone mentioned that the inclusion of humorous elements and cultural references, such as the Rorschach Test and the “Wild Wasteland” trait, contributed to the uniqueness of New Vegas, although this also brought unexpected legal complications.
Additionally, the popularity of a joke called “Two Bears High-Fiving” has generated a mod and several references within Fallout: New Vegas, as well as in later titles. This gag, which has endured in the gaming community, has been integrated into the game through an NPC in the “Honest Hearts” DLC and has left its mark even on Obsidian’s upcoming project, Avowed.
These anecdotes underscore the importance of proper management of usage rights and the influence of popular culture on the narrative and gameplay of video games.
April Fools’ Day is a day that makes our work much more difficult. We have to calibrate very well what is serious and what is a prank, especially because many people try to push the boundaries of what is plausible. That’s why we especially like jokes that are clearly jokes and completely outrageous: they don’t pretend to pass as news, they are funny and fit well with the spirit of the day. Making jokes. That’s why we’ve chosen a handful of our favorites. We had to see a good handful while doing our daily work and with these we not only have […]
April Fools’ Day is a day that makes our job much more difficult. We have to calibrate very well what is serious and what is a hoax, especially because many people try to push the boundaries of what is plausible. That’s why we especially like jokes that are clearly jokes and completely outrageous: they don’t pretend to pass as news, they are funny and fit well with the spirit of the day. Making jokes.
That’s why we’ve chosen a handful of our favorites. We’ve had to watch quite a few while doing our daily work, and with these, not only have we laughed, but we’ve also wondered what went through the minds of those who made them in a couple of particular cases. They are not hard to guess when you see them. But without further ado, let’s get to the topic.
Pragmata is a MegaMan (well, more or less)
There has been a very persistent fan theory that Pragmata is actually a covert MegaMan game where the girl, at the end of the game, will be revealed to be the mythical blue robot. At Capcom, they have heard these theories and must have had a good laugh about them, because they decided to do something with them. Adding MegaMan to the game? No. Adding a MegaMan skin for the human protagonist’s exoskeleton suit. Because if people are going to invent colorful theories, why not take advantage of them?
The DLSS 5 of Crusader Kings III
We have had few more bitter controversies this year than that of DLSS 5, a technology that nobody likes, adds nothing, and also requires an extremely expensive setup. And the team behind Crusader Kings III has decided to poke fun at it with their proposal: the CKSS. A super-scaling and AI technology that makes their game hyper-realistic. So hyper-realistic that it is the studio staff dressed as the characters from the game. A healthy touch of humor for the most toxic discussion of the year so far in the tech world.
In ARMA, they become farmers
Arma Reforger is known for being a tremendously realistic real-time combat simulation game set in the Cold War. But at Bohemia Interactive, they have grown tired and said, what if instead of wielding weapons, we farm a little? And thus Farma Reforager has emerged, a charming teaser for a hyper-realistic game about managing your little farm without any other worries in the world.
Taiko no Tatsujin is a very popular rhythm game in Japan where we have to hit two adorable drums to the beat set by the game. Drift Spirits is an equally popular mobile game where we have to compete in intense races where the most important thing is to drift intensely and precisely on extremely tight tracks. And since both licenses are from Bandai Namco, they said, what if the drums from Taiko no Tatsujin raced in Drift Spirits? And the result is this promotional video that is surely a joke, but if we want, it’s not a joke.
A medieval open world embodying a chivalrous pet
To conclude, there is nothing better than looking at one of last year’s hidden gems. Tainted Grail: The Fall of Avalon is a medieval open-world game in the style of Skyrim or Crimson Desert that has been gaining followers in recent months. And in its new DLC, they promise us to embody Qrko, a kind of huge and somewhat deformed axolotl capable of wearing armor and going on adventures. A crazy proposal, but let’s not kid ourselves, if they actually manage to do it, they might double the game’s sales.
