Drama in the board games industry (Meeplegate)

✅ Be sure to Like and Subscribe if you want to see more videos about game design and the board games industry 🎲 Become a member to get access to perks including playtesting with me and other members on Sundays: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt4TYeU8YMwtBa6sX8ejIcw/join ☕️ If you enjoyed this video, feel free to buy me a coffee (thank you!): https://buymeacoffee.com/pamwalls 📆 Book a 1:1 session me to talk about board game design: https://calendly.com/pwgamedesign 📪 Sign up to my weekly newsletter: https://eepurl.com/iyakps 💬 Join my Discord server: https://discord.gg/uvy4ffGtBK 0:00 - Intro 0:46 - History of the word “Meeple” 2:29 - Hans im Glück trademarks Meeple 5:13 - History of the shape of the Meeple 8:04 - Hans im Glück sends Cease & Desist letter to small, independent publisher re their game Meeple Inc. 11:08 - Americans apply for US trademark of Meeple 13:16 - Support the indie publisher’s game Tabletop Inc! 14:04 - The meaning of “Hans im Glück” Theme music outro by https://www.youtube.com/@huddy_t Links: Support Maddie and Joe's game Tabletop Inc. (formerly Meeple Inc.) here: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/cogito-ergo-meeple/meeple-inc Meeple Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meeple Texarcana article about the creation of the word Meeple: https://www.texarkanagazette.com/news/2022/dec/05/playing-around-meeplecity-bringing-game-night-to/ Original forum post referencing the word Meeple, by Alison Hansel: https://web.archive.org/web/20101130212607/http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Unity_Games/message/2301 Back of Carcasonne box, 1st edition (showing the word Followers): https://wikicarpedia.com/images/4/4a/Scoring_History_C1_Example_02.jpg “The word ‘meeple’ is being trademarked in the US in reaction to ‘cease and desist’ activity from Carcassonne publisher Hans Im Glueck,” BoardGameWire article: https://boardgamewire.com/index.php/2024/06/14/the-word-meeple-is-being-trademarked-in-the-us-in-reaction-to-cease-and-desist-activity-from-carcassonne-publisher-hans-im-glueck/ “When trade marks become generic,” German Patent and Trade Mark Office: https://www.dpma.de/english/our_office/publications/background/genericnames/index.html “Intellectual Property Law Targets the Term ‘Meeple’,” International Property Law Association article: https://iipla.org/intellectual-property-law-targets-the-term-meeple/ Europa board game featuring meeple shaped players piece in 1998: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/295/europa-1945-2030/images Sumera board game featuring meeple shaped player pieces in 1999: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/587/sumera Top Secret Spies featuring meeple shaped player pieces in 1984: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Secret_Spies#cite_note-:2-2 EU trademark showing it was partially rejected: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearchCLW/#advanced/community-trade-marks//MEEPLE EU Meeple (word) trademark details: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/016791741 EU Meeple (shape) trademark details: https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/016791725 Hans im Glück’s German Meeple trademark registration: https://register.dpma.de/DPMAregister/marke/register/3020211016416/DE German Trademark and Patent Office FAQ: https://www.dpma.de/english/trade_marks/faq/index.html Hans im Glück folk tale on Youtube: https://youtu.be/eyohPTKZBA8?si=J-VQEz8b_Limz9GV -------------------------------------- If you enjoyed this video or if it was helpful for you, feel free to buy me a coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pamwalls -------------------------------------- Do you want feedback on your board game idea or have questions about board game design/the industry in general? Book a 1 on 1 session with me! Visit my scheduling site to book a session: https://calendly.com/pwgamedesign -------------------------------------- Buy my games 💜 Chronicles of Light: Darkness Falls (Disney Edition): https://www.target.com/p/ravensburger-disney-edition-chronicles-of-light-darkness-falls-game/-/A-90178606 Blob Party: https://shop.wizkids.com/products/blob-party Act Fast Speed Charades: https://www.amazon.com/Act-Fast-Charades-Family-Outset/dp/B08HFZSCNQ/ Hold That Face: https://www.amazon.com/Adult-Party-Guessing-Amazon-Exclusive/dp/B07CBXHLVK ------------------------------------ Connect with me: Sign up to my weekly newsletter: https://eepurl.com/iyakps Book a 1:1 session me: https://calendly.com/pwgamedesign Website: http://www.pamwallsgamedesign.ca Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/pamwallsgamedesign Twitter: https://twitter.com/PamWGameDesign FB: https://www.facebook.com/PamWallsGameDesign Discord: https://discord.gg/uvy4ffGtBK