'Warhammer' Fan Series TTS Announces Indefinite Hiatus In Response To Games Workshop's New Strict Copyright Policies
Bravura Alfabusa, the content creator behind long-running Warhammer 40k parody series If The Emperor Had A Text To Speech Device, better known as TTS, announced yesterday that he is putting the series on hiatus due to the updated, strict IP guidelines of Games Workshop, the company that owns Warhammer 40k, that explicitly bans fan animations.
Last week, Games Workshop announced stricter sets of its IP copyright policies, attempting to make clear fans can make fan art or fan sites, these "must not include text, artwork or imagery copied from any official Games Workshop material." In the "Infringements" section, they state, "individuals must not create fan films or animations based on our settings and characters. These are only to be created under licence from Games Workshop."
This obviously put TTS in a bind. In the video, Bravura Alfabusa stated that while it's possible the series could be safe under "fair use" law, if Games Workshop went after it, he would have that the funds to mount a legal battle against Games Workshop and potentially YouTube.
The new guidelines also coincide with Games Workshop's announcement that they're making a Warhammer+ subscription service which will include two Warhammer animated series. Games Workshop has already poached some fan animators.
The announcement of TTS' hiatus made fans angry at Games Workshop, with some announcing their intent to never purchase anything they produce.
I was legit thinking about getting into #warhammer40k minis. Thank you for making the decision easy: I will never support #GamesWorkshop again. https://t.co/XiO9TzNbjs
— English Narwhal (@ImmobilePizza) July 30, 2021
#GamesWorkshop I really hope you're happy, you killed several amazing animation channels, destroyed the best parody team TTS from alfabusa which lasted years. i wanted to start buying and painting minis and make a ork army, welp not anymore.
— ROFLguard (@RLguard) July 30, 2021
#GamesWorkshop Scum pic.twitter.com/i1jzjXW2cj
— Trent_o_Diamonds (@DiamondsTrent) July 29, 2021
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Electric Dictator Bedebao
Downloaded the entire series just in case, all of it but especially the Yugioh spinoffs are goldmines.
Bears Banjo
Thanks mate
wisehowl_the_2nd
Games-Workshop used to pride itself on fan creations but it's been on a downwards spiral in the opposite direction since about 10 years ago. Who knew it only took a failed lawsuit against someone making a tyranid spore node for GW to do a completed 180, rename all the factions, ban third-party mini modifications, and ban unrelated parodies by some random Swedes?
Spite GW by buying third-party miniatures (Anvil, W Artel, etc.) or competitor games (Infinity, Bolt-Action, etc.). Don't let GW kill the hobby.
RemChi
Silver Lining in all this?
Alfa's Patreon money got… doubled. Its Nearly at 18k a month.
Weasselk
No more money for GW from me.
Jon the Wizard
I got into 40K (a bit, more for the lore) because of If The Emperor Had A Text-To-Speech Device, so this really hurts. Games Workshop, you are the WORST at having a fanbase.
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1. We definitely need IP reform. Imagine if traditional monsters like vampires, werewolves, and zombies were owned by a media conglomerate. Unfortunately modern IP laws have essentially halted the expansion of the public domain. This makes it hard for an aspiring independent artist to get their footing without stepping into a legal landmine.
2. As long as IP laws are the way they are, stop giving random corporations free content. Even if it's less fun, use the public domain characters and settings that do exist, and even if it's hard, make OC.
WarLordM
This actually isn't legal. "If The Emperor Had A Text To Speech Device" is a parody, so any attempt to stop its production would be ungrounded in the law. In this case, the law is not to blame, the lack of options for content creators to defend themselves from ILLEGAL threats is the problem.
Imo Games Workshop should lose their right to declare ideas as intellectual property. If I hit a pedestrian driving I lose my license. Should be the same thing here.
LinkR
Life isn't black and white. Legal or illegal. It's also about who can flex harder, which is why companies are often able to walk all over single individuals, even if they are in the wrong. The legal system is so backed up and fueled by time and money, it turns into little more than a trial of endurance and tribulation. A company has a team of people and fuck you money to back it up. A single individual is one person that's probably living paycheck to paycheck with a family to support. Even IF they stuck through it and won the legal fight, they still lose.
WarLordM
Life isn't black and white, but the law is. Our society needs to stop accepting bending and breaking of the rules, by anyone, at any time. That's what's wrong with the world today