Licence fees charged by aerospace and defence companies for the use of brand names, product likenesses, etc.

I always wondered about this in games featuring current combat aircraft like the Ace Combat series. They always have a pre-title splash screen recognizing ownership of the various aircraft designs, at least from western concerns who might actually care. DCS on the other hand really doesn't seem to give a damn.
 
NUSNA_Moebius said:
I always wondered about this in games featuring current combat aircraft like the Ace Combat series. They always have a pre-title splash screen recognizing ownership of the various aircraft designs, at least from western concerns who might actually care. DCS on the other hand really doesn't seem to give a damn.
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I think that the only reason that these big companies get away with demanding license fees from game designers and model manufacturers is that the companies have large legal departments. While not a lawyer, I can't see how any of the limited monopolies granted by trademark, copyright, or patent law in the US can apply to original representations in games, models, or drawings. US law grants exclusive rights to use designs or content in specific ways (as trademarks, for printing copies, etc.), but does NOT grant "ownership" of anything The term "intellectual property" is just a lawyerly invention meant to obfuscate this fact. So, legally, a game designer is well within his rights and can probably ignore demands for license fees--IF he has enough money and lawyers of his own. But when the mere legal preliminaries can bankrupt an individual or medium company, few can stand up to a major corporation. The latter know it.
 

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