Thrones: Fan Based Designed Playing Cards by Realm of Cards (KS)

[Rob Wright]

Thrones: Fan Based Designed Playing Cards

"Winter is coming." A designed deck of playing cards for the GOT fan base. Printed by MPC.

Using the Houses of:
•STARK - Spades
•LANNISTER - Diamonds
•BARATHEON - Clubs
•TARGARYEN - Hearts

[Worst Bower]

They dropped "Game of" from the name so as to avoid a lawsuit. I don't think it will help them. They have no rights the property and no chance of winning in court. They're planning to print with MPC but are considering a Bicycle brand as a stretch goal. No way USPCC will print this legal landmine.

Here's the official licensed deck:

[Don Boyer]

They dropped "Game of" from the name so as to avoid a lawsuit. I don't think it will help them. They have no rights the property and no chance of winning in court. They're planning to print with MPC but are considering a Bicycle brand as a stretch goal. No way USPCC will print this legal landmine.

Here's the official licensed deck:

Yeah, not only that, but the company that presently holds the license for that deck will smack 'em upside the head with a C&D letter the moment they get wind of it!

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

So far it seems nobody cares....

this deck is funded - so the backers will be charged - but the deck will not be printed - so 96 people will be out their money.

MPC will make "Realm of Cards" sign an agreement that says all the art is 100% his... and it isn't. All the symbols (wolf head, hydra etc) are all clipped and pasted and are the property of HBO

I asked the deck creator if he had permission from HBO to use their licensed images and do you know what he told me....?


...


Nothing.

Get ready for either a lawsuit if the deck is printed, or 100 angry bacers

[Don Boyer]

While it is indeed possible that HBO will not catch up to this project until after it's closed, I suspect that the creator will end up receiving his C&D letter before that. Something similar happened with the Bicycle Army Men deck designed by Adam Clarkson.  Larger companies like HBO hire firms that will actually search the Internet for their intellectual property, as well as popular magazines and newspapers.

[Magic_Orthodoxy]

a response from the creator:

we have permission for the artwork also if you send us a PM we would gladly show you. Also we have not infringed on any copy writes or trademarks. The designs we used are public and we have already submitted to MPC.
Thanks

[Don Boyer]

a response from the creator:

we have permission for the artwork also if you send us a PM we would gladly show you. Also we have not infringed on any copy writes or trademarks. The designs we used are public and we have already submitted to MPC.
Thanks

"Permission" isn't the same as "licensing."  It's looking like a gray area to me.  We had a guy here who thought he had consent from Lego to create a deck called "Steampunk Heroes" that was filled with images of home-brewed Lego minifigs, and said as much to the forum.  Didn't take long after that before his C&D arrived and KS shut down his project and pulled it from the search engine - if you don't know exactly where to look, you won't find it.  If you're curious enough, try and search for it here, on the topic from this board - the link might still be there or it might lead to the C&D letter at the least.

[Justin O.]

Licensing aside this project isn't exactly the best design, different styles on the heraldic images used, one 2D line work, the other that looks like crappy 3D clip art, 'tribal' style suits, uses a quote down the side that isn't from the 'realm' (Westeros) the deck is themed after and a one way card back that doesn't fit the style of the rest of the deck. I'm surprised this deck funded, but I suspect that may only be because of the popularity of the series.