Getting the License

[ADGBoss]

GReetings all,
Along with doing your own thing I have always felt there are alot of dead games which could be revived with the Arcane ritual of a new system being put into the material. Etc.

Has anyone actually Licensed a settng from another company or author? How do you go about this and is it always a question of ALOT of money?

What are the major problems of doing a Licensed product?
What are the greatest benefits?
Is it worth it?

SMH
ADGBoss

[Eugene Zee]

SMH,

Getting the license to a product should, in essence, be a simple thing.  However, it can be a complicated process, especially if it is a fairly large license.

Here is a step by step of how we are pursuing licensing right now based on the research we did.

The first thing that you have to do is find out who owns the license.  Often it might not be who you think it is.  Do this by calling the companies involved and getting in touch with the manager of the particular account.  Even better, if you can identify the creator, you may be able to email him.

Note: If the creator has rights to the ip you job will, most likely, be much simpler.  Corporations often have processes that must be followed, lengthening the time frame and sometimes the cost.

Once you reach the person you see if they are interested and then you negotiate.  The negotiation is very much a selling process.  You have to sell your idea for the ip to the owner.  You also have to sell your company to them.  If they believe that your company won't be able to follow up on the plan well they will be heavily disinclined to allow you to purchase the license.  Concerns are usually: initial cash advance (against royalties), marketing of the ip, treatment of the ip (production quality, etc.), adherence to the ip, relicensing (usually to Europe) and expected sales.

The initial cash advance should not be too much.  Depending on the property it will usually be somewhere in the neighborhood of a few thousand dollars (against royalties).  Remember to be realistic.  We are not in the movie or mass market toy business.  We are a niche market and almost nobody will make their millions from this business.

Finally you should be sure that when you close the deal you are  comfortable with terms.  Remember everything is negotiable.  If the deal doesn't work for you just walk away.

There is a lot more but I don't want to develop carpal on this particular post so I will digress.

Regards,

[ADGBoss]

Thank you, that helps quite a bit.  The License I had in mind when I asked this question is int eh process of being sold and very well may be sold in a apackage to someone else, who I feel will ignore the license in question.
I will refrain from mentioning names cause right now I am a total outsider on that deal.

My thinking was that even if a company could not offer alot of money up front ( I mean who has it these days?) if you offered a sincere proposal that might make a good impression. On the other hand, as you mentioned even with alot of money, a bad proposal could be rejected.

I appreciate your thoughts

SMH
ADGBoss

[Ron Edwards]

Hi there,

In order to address this a little better, I need to know which is being discussed:

1) Is the topic acquiring ownership or only use?

2) Is the property an already-existing RPG or a non-RPG title (e.g. movie, comics, etc)?

Best,
Ron

[ADGBoss]

Well I was speaking in general at first but I will be more specific...

1) IT would be for use purposes.  although outright purchase would not be out of the question at a later date (when I become rich and famous of course)

2) It is (or was) an existing RPG title with a small following as far as I can tell.  

Sean
ADGBoss

[Eugene Zee]

Ron,

I was talking about licensing the rights to produce game products of an IP.  Purchasing the entire IP, I believe, will have some significant differences but also distinct similarities.  However, as I have no specific experience with purchase more than the rights to produce and have never looked into it, any comments I make will be speculation.

Regards,