I think Tetris game mechanics are copyrighted. So maybe that's the main issue. I haven't tried your game but if it's a tetris clone, you can always expect to be pulled out from any market.
Ivan Soto Fernandez Web Developer http://ivansotof.com On Tue, Apr 7, 2009 at 8:43 AM, tasos.klei...@gmail.com < tasos.klei...@gmail.com> wrote: > > On Saturday April 4th, I received a message from google saying that my > game "Robotic Space Rock" was pulled from the android market after a > request made by a legal firm representing an entity known as Tetris > Company. My application was removed from the android market together > with Blocks, Cubik, Net Tetris, Netblocks and Tetroid (6 apps in > total) under claim that it violates the DMCA and more specifically > trademarks and copyrighted material owned by the Tetris Company. > However, none of the trademarks or copyrighted material (music, > graphics and sound effects) are present in my game. Sound effects and > music were created by me specifically for the game. There is no > reference to the word tetris in the game. Additionally, all the game > code, graphics and sound effects were created by me and published on > the code site http://code.google.com/p/monolithandroid > > Additionally, I am not aware of a software patent covering the game > mechanics of Tetris, so I cannot see how I could violate something > that is not protected by a software patent. Also, even if the game was > protected by a patent, the patent would have expired, since the > original game, Tetris, was created 23 years ago. However game > mechanics cannot be covered by patents. > > I would also like to point out that my game is available completely > free of charge to every user of the android market. > > I wrote those concerns to Google and I sent an email to the EFF. The > bottom line is that for my application to be restored on the android > market, I have to send a DMCA counter-notification. And then the > Tetris Company can sue and take the case to Court. > > When games were pulled from the iPhone App store, they blamed apple, > but it is not hard to see that behind application removals we can find > companies like the Tetris Company, that demand application removals > claiming copyright infringement and trademarks. However, it is not > easy to battle these companies as individual developers. I, for > example, am a Greek citizen living in Greece, so it is difficult for > me to file a counter-notification, because then the Tetris company > will probably sue me and I will have to defend my case in court. Why > should I bother? Am I making money out of the game? No! But even if I > did you can see how easy it is for corporations to neutralize > developers like that. I think that something should be done. > Independent developers should get together to battle against such > misuse of the law by corporations. > And to those that want more facts, you can find more details on my > blog: > http://tkcodesharing.blogspot.com > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to android-developers@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to android-developers-unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
