Capcom in Dead Rising copyright wrangle

While you wouldn’t perhaps think that zombie-infested shopping malls could fall under the protection of copyright, Japanese videogame publisher Capcom is this week facing legal action because of its ‘zombies in a mall’ action game Dead Rising. Capcom facing legal action regarding copyright infringement in Dead Rising. Credit: Capcom.

Capcom facing legal action regarding copyright infringement in Dead Rising. Credit: Capcom.More pointedly, MKR Group is accusing Capcom’s game of infringing on the copyright of George A. Romero’s 1978 cult zombie movie Dawn of the Dead. MKR is the rights holder for Romero’s gory classic.According to MKR Group’s copyright complaint, Capcom’s game and Romero’s movie both offer up “thoughtful social commentary on the ‘mall culture’ zeitgeist,” which is folded into a plentiful supply of “sensationalist violence.”

MKR’s accusations, which were filed at the US District Court in New York earlier this week, come hot on the heels of Capcom answering the idea of Dead Rising’s copyright infringement by saying that the portrayal of mankind battling zombie hordes while trapped in a US shopping mall was a “wholly unprotectible idea.”The BBC news Web site reports that Dead Rising’s packaging offers up a disclaimer outlining that the game “was not developed, approved or licensed by the owners or creators of George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead.”Whether that disclaimer proves sufficient protection from MKR’s copyright infringement accusation remains to be seen. If Capcom is (wrongfully) brought to heel for Dead Rising, don’t be at all surprised to see HBO duly target Brothers in Arms because it’s a hard-hitting WWII game that is connected by (tenuous) similarities and a sound-a-like name to Band of Brothers. And, if that should also transpire, expect the New York plumbers’ union to attempt to slap Nintendo around for every single Mario game.

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TWilliamsFeb 28th, 2008 - 04:28:47

Looks like MKR is just trying to get their 15min in the spotlight

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adam betzoldFeb 29th, 2008 - 10:16:19

have you seen the original 'dawn of the dead'? dead rising takes a whole lot from that movie. it quite obvious they were modeling the game after the movie. at times I feel like I am 'playing the movie'

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