盛大授权《传奇世界》改编游戏遭下架

2017年4月25日，应韩国娱美德娱乐有限公司(“娱美德”)的维权投诉要求，苹果公司下架了基于《传奇世界》改编的手机游戏——《传奇战域3D》。

On April 25, 2017, as claimed by Wemade Entertainment Co., Ltd. (“Wemade”), Apple Store removed a mobile game adapted from “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》 in Chinese), named “Chuan Qi Zhan Yu 3D” (《传奇战域3D》in Chinese).

在娱美德的投诉过程中，侵权方向苹果公司提供了所谓的盛大授权文件。文件显示，2017年2月10日，盛绩信息技术(上海)有限公司(“盛绩信息 ”)授权无锡常用网络科技有限公司(“无锡常用 ”)基于《传奇世界》开发一款名为“传奇战域”的手机游戏，并授权无锡常用发行、运营、宣传和推广该手机游戏。

In the process of Wemade’s complaint, the infringer provided “Shanda authorization documents” to Apple, according to which, on February 10, 2017, Shengji Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (“Sheng Ji”, “盛绩信息技术(上海)有限公司” in Chinese) authorized Wuxi Chang Yong Network Technology Co., Ltd. (“Chang Yong”, “无锡常用网络科技有限公司” in Chinese) to develop a mobile game named “Chuan Qi Zhan Yu” based on the game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》), and Chuang Yong was also authorized to publish, operate, advertise and promote that mobile game.

然而，娱美德向苹果公司提交了详细的游戏对比文件，证明《传奇战域3D》与《热血传奇》构成高度近似。根据中国著作权法的规定及司法实践，基于《传奇世界》研发的改编游戏亦不得侵犯《热血传奇》的著作权。苹果公司最终将侵权游戏进行下架处理，也可看出其对娱美德立场的认可。

However, Wemade submitted detailed game comparison documents to Apple Store to prove that “Chuan Qi Zhan Yu 3D” (《传奇战域3D》) is highly similar with “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》in Chinese). According to the PRC Copyright Law as well as its judicial practice, any “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) adapted games must not infringe the copyright of “The Legend of MIR II” as well. Therefore the infringing game “Chuan Qi Zhan Yu 3D” (《传奇战域3D》) has been removed from Apple Store, which shows Apple’s acceptance of Wemade’s claims.

实际上，娱美德是《热血传奇》的开发商，拥有《热血传奇》相关的知识产权，《传奇世界》客户端游戏是盛大在2002年利用其作为《热血传奇》客户端游戏在中国的独家运营商的优势，擅自“自主开发”的一款游戏，该游戏在角色、人物技能、场景设置、道具、物品、装备、怪物、NPC、游戏参数值等游戏涉及的各方面均与《热血传奇》完全相同。2003年，娱美德针对盛大《传奇世界》侵犯《热血传奇》著作权及不正当竞争事宜向北京市第一中级人民法院知识产权庭提起诉讼，后双方于2007年进行了和解。但娱美德并未同意盛大可以基于《传奇世界》客户端游戏再进行任何侵权改编或者改编授权。

In fact, Wemade is the developer of the game “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》), and it has ownership for its ted IP rights. The PC client online game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) was “self-developed” by Shanda in the year 2002 taking advantage of Shanda’s position as the sole licensee for the PC client online game “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》) in China. However, “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) is identical or highly similar with “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》) in almost all aspects including professions of characters, skills and attributes, scene settings, properties, possessions, accessories, monsters, NPC, parameters, etc. In 2003, Wemade brought a civil litigation against Shanda regarding “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) claiming for copyright infringement and un competition before Beijing Frist Intermediate People’s Court IP Tribunal, and both parties reached a settlement in 2007. However, Wemade did not agree that Shanda could adapt or authorize others to adapt any other games based on the disputed PC client online game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》).

鉴于《传奇世界》游戏本身与《热血传奇》的高度近似性，任何基于《传奇世界》开发的与《传奇世界》相似的新游戏都不可避免的同样与《热血传奇》构成近似。任何侵权游戏中只要使用了《热血传奇》的独创性表达要素，包括但不限于角色名称、人物设置、物品名称、技能名称、装备、怪物、NPC、攻城战等，则不可避免地侵犯了《热血传奇》的著作权。对于侵权游戏娱美德定会维权到底。

Considering the fact that the game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) is identical or highly similar with the game “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》), any new games adapted from the game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) would be unavoidably similar with the game “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》). It would unavoidably infringe the copyright of “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》) if any infringing game uses the original elements of “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》), including but not limited to professions of characters, skills and attributes, scene settings, properties, possessions, accessories, monsters, NPC, parameters, siege battle, etc. Wemade would make all efforts to take actions against such infringements in order to protect Wemade’s legal rights.

盛大的《热血传奇》客户端游戏运营许可即将于今年到期，鉴于盛大存在多个未经著作权人许可擅自进行对外就《热血传奇》进行授权，侵害著作权人权益的行为，娱美德很难再与盛大续约。因此，盛大近期开始对外以《传奇世界》进行授权，妄图绕过《热血传奇》著作权人，并以娱美德在2007年诉讼中承认其《传奇世界》客户端游戏的著作权来主张其授权合法性。但是，绕不过的是《传奇世界》游戏本身与《热血传奇》的高度近似性，如果基于《传奇世界》改编的游戏同样与《热血传奇》构成近似，仍然构成对《热血传奇》著作权的侵犯。正如《传奇战域3D》被下架这一事件所反映的，广大业内公司在获取正版授权时，应当辨别真正的权利人，尊重他人知识产权，避免因侵权行为承担赔偿责任。

Shanda’s license for operating the PC client online game “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》) will expire this year. Considering Shanda’s authorization of “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》) to others without copyright owner’s consent and its damage to the copyright owner’s timate rights, Wemade could hardly extend Shanda’s license after its expiry. Accordingly, Shanda recently begins to grant for authorization based on “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》), attempting to bypass the copyright owner of “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》), and ing to prove its “timacy” based on Wemade’s admission of Shanda’s copyright in the PC client online game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) in the year 2007. However, it cannot overturn the fact that the game “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) is identical or highly similar with the game “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》). If any game adapted from “Chuanqi World” (《传奇世界》) is also similar with “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》), it would also constitute copyright infringement of “The Legend of MIR II” (《热血传奇》). As alerted by the Apple Store’s removal of “Chuan Qi Zhan Yu 3D” (《传奇战域3D》), game companies should distinguish who is the real copyright owner when obtaining copyright authorizations, respect timate IP rights, and avoid to compensate for potential infringements.