Acclaim was dodgy* when alive and just as dodgy when resurrected…
Their new “open development” model sounds nice, but if you read the fine print of Project Top Secret – you’ll see:
2. By submitting an Entered Application, the Entrant represents and warrants that the Entered Application is the Entrant’s own original work and that the Entrant is the owner or has obtained and currently holds valid and sufficient worldwide rights, including rights in third party intellectual properties, to grant the Sponsors, their subsidiaries, affiliates, agents, and customers the rights granted therein. The Entrant agrees to take sole responsibility for any claims or damages resulting from submission and representation of another developer’s application as their own. Each Entrant also agrees to release, indemnify, defend and hold the Sponsors harmless from any and all complaint, claims, liabilities and damages (including without limitation attorney’s fees) related to the Entrant’s entry in the Competition, or usage of the Entered Application by the Sponsors. Each Entrant agrees to immediately notify the Sponsors in the event that he or she discovers that there is any change in the ownership of the Entered Application concept or entry as acknowledged and represented herein.
6. Any team entering the Competition agrees to and does hereby grant Acclaim Games Inc., their subsidiaries, affiliates and agents an exclusive and irrevocable worldwide right to publish their entry as a professional video game and that the game will be the sole property of Acclaim.
Essentially, all entries become the property of Acclaim. You lose all rights upon submission. Most competitions are not structured this way… Acclaim gets free designs and free prototypes. The award? A job as a director. This sounds like a fantastic opportunity for an amateur with no experience and just out of school, but I’d be wary of the transfer of copyright rule. Don’t submit anything you might re-use!
* Acclaim failed to pay developers and was forced to close in 2004 after failing to secure financing for their money-losing business. Meanwhile, EA, Ubisoft, and Take-Two during that duration were rolling in profits.
Add comment September 10th, 2007