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Ask HN: Can I create an online verson of a trademarked card game? (UNO)

1 points by einaregilsson ↗ HN
I've created a few javascript card games [1] over the last few months. For my next project I'd like to create the game UNO. Mattel apparently owns the trademark and copyright for UNO, but I'm not exactly sure what that means. If I create an UNO game can they sue me, or send me a cease-and-desist, or something like that? I'm outside the US if that makes any difference.

I also know that there are dozens of UNO games out there already, I have a hard time believing that all of them cleared it with Mattel first. Are they just hoping that Mattel doesn't notice? Or is it enough to have a disclaimer saying something about "UNO is a registered trademark of Mattel, no affiliation etc."?

I have actually sent an email to Mattel, they have a special email address where people can request permission, but they say it might take 4-8 weeks for an answer, so I thought I'd ask here first :)

EDIT: UNO is played with a special deck of cards, just to be clear, so there is something there more than just the gameplay.

[1] http://www.spades-cardgame.com , there are links on there to all the others.

8 comments

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bdfh42
As the Uno card game is played using a specially designed pack of cards then it is fairly clear that the game is covered by copyright as well as a Trademark. Copying without permission would definitely be a no-no.

Stick to games using the standard 52 card pack and you should be fine.

einaregilsson
But is Copyright/Trademarks international? I live in Denmark, would that make any difference?
cmdkeen
Yes - the Berne Convention is an international "we'll respect everyone else's copyrights" agreement.
einaregilsson
Well, guess that's not going to work then :/. Unless I move to some country that's not part of the convention...
bdfh42
Why not create something new instead of pirating someone else's work?
dochtman
With legal questions, you should ask a lawyer (based in your jurisdiction).
einaregilsson
Well, I'm starting by just asking Mattel if it's OK. If they just say no I'll find some other game to do. But I'm hoping they'll say it's fine with some disclaimer or something, because I'd really like to create the game :/
Rust
If they say no, I'd suggest Milles Bornes - a French card game from the 50s I used to play and love until I lost the cards back around the turn of the century :(