Originally licensed games that went on to become established game properties

[Jabberwocky]

I'm not talking about something like Kingdom Hearts, which is entirely owned by Disney (including original KH content like Sora, Riku, etc) and the direction the series goes in is pretty much up to them. I'm talking about things like...

Shin Megami Tensei - the original game was based on a series of novels known as Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Story. The original licensed game on the Famicom was first released by Namco. Atlus had the rights when SMT1&2 were re-released on the SNES. Now it's Atlus's main IP and they do whatever they want with the property.

Parasite Eve - the game by Squaresoft was adapted from the novel of the same name. PE for the PSX got a sequel, also released by Squaresoft, and now with The 3rd Birthday releasing, I assume Square Enix can do whatever they want with the property.

Strider - as far as I know, the original game was based on a manga. Now Strider is an established Capcom character, and Capcom can do whatever they want with the IP. He appeared in both Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Namco x Capcom under the Capcom side.

There's also Super Mario Brothers 2, which was based on Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, and Tales of Phantasia, based on the unpublished novel Tale Phantasia, but both of those games don't fit into this particular list because of various technical reasons.


Now, my question is this, particularly for the first 2: how can this legally happen? Do the original authors of "Megami Tensei" and "Parasite Eve" really have no say in what Atlus or Square Enix do with the IP's? Does Japan have different legal ownership laws than America or something? 

[Great Rumbler]

They probably signed an exclusive license that lets them do what they want with the series as long as royalties of some kind are paid to the original author.

[chronovore]

There was also a movie for Parasite Eve, and I think it was based on the game rather than the book. In general licensing and cross-media adaptations are a lot more plastic than they are in the west.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

the Irem-made Kung-Fu for the NES (and its pseudo sequel Vigilante), and Kung-Fu Master for the arcade were made first for the Japanese market as a tie in to Jackie Chan's Wheels on Meals (known in Japan, movie and game, as Spartan x).  It never really became a franchise, but it was built off a license.

[Joe Molotov]

All three of that major Tom Clancy series. Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, and Rainbow 6 have all taken on lives of their own.

[chronovore]

All three of that major Tom Clancy series. Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon, and Rainbow 6 have all taken on lives of their own.

Ooh, good one. Because UBI also paid Clancy a heap to use the titles indefinitely and without continued restrictions/oversight whatever... Those are essentially UBI original IP now, IIRC.

[ManaByte]

Square already did Parasite Eve 3

spoiler (click to show/hide)

for Japanese cell phones

[close]

[Third]

Square already did Parasite Eve 3

spoiler (click to show/hide)

for Japanese cell phones

[close]

Nope, cancelled for mobile phones.

Project moved to PSP.

[ManaByte]

Square already did Parasite Eve 3

spoiler (click to show/hide)

for Japanese cell phones

[close]

Nope, cancelled for mobile phones.

Project moved to PSP.

It would have made more money on the phones.

[recursivelyenumerable]

There was also a movie for Parasite Eve, and I think it was based on the game rather than the book.

No, the movie was based on the book, and came out before the game.  I've heard that the game followed on from the movie more than the book in some respects.

[chronovore]

There was also a movie for Parasite Eve, and I think it was based on the game rather than the book.

No, the movie was based on the book, and came out before the game.  I've heard that the game followed on from the movie more than the book in some respects.

Ah, well thanks for the correction then.