Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 3:34 p.m.

I think Scrabulous must stay - and it must remain free!

As countless people have already said - it has introduced a new generation of players to the game.

I tjust seems that this late in Mattel/Hasbro have realised that they should hav ebeen making money form this concept YEARS ago, and now they want a slice of the pie.

yes, Scrabulous is illegal, but then so is most of the internet.. what are you gonna do?? For every scrabulous you shut down, others will be created in its wake....

Posted by DangerNut at 1/17/08 3:38 p.m.

Why is this even a question? What part of illegal do you not understand? The property is owned by Hasbro/Mattel. It is solely up the owners of the property how they want to use it or promote it. It's not up for a vote.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 3:48 p.m.

Ms. Guzman has it exactly right: "Blatant illegality in what Scrabulous is -- a copy of an existing game distributed online without any authorization from its creators."

The creators of Scrabulous need to work something out with Parker Brothers sooner, rather than later.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 4:09 p.m.

I would happily have more ads on the Scrabulous site if it would help the developers pay Hasbro for a license to use the product. Or maybe Hasbro could sell a tabletop edition of the game that costs extra but includes a code to register for free on-line lifetime playing.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 4:38 p.m.

It's Hasbro and Mattel's fault that they didn't capitalize on it, and it's a real snooze you lose for them that someone did before they got to it.

This is a case of independent developers getting shot down by a massive corporation that didn't think that a market demographic online needed to be tended to.

I love Scrabble. Always have. And when I found Scrabulous, I didn't think "yay, another online word game!", I thought "yay, Scrabble". And that is why I play. Don't kill Scrabulous, it's a great way to introduce this generation to Scrabble. It's not about making money, it's about spreading the fun of a fantastic game that happens to have some clones out there.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 5:14 p.m.

Things can never be the same again without Scrabulous. It is the only place i relax and have fun. It made me a better player today.Please let scrabulous stay.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 5:20 p.m.

I've played Scrabble for 33 years. Since playing Scrabulous the past few months, I have joined some friends for regular hard-board Scrabble games, very competitive and fun. I bought a nice lazy-susan Scrabble game for the hostess of these games this Xmas. PLEASE keep Scrabulous online!
A Texas addict

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 6:16 p.m.

Truthfully, I PURCHASED a Hasbro Scrabble board because of Scrabulous. It really rekindled my interest in the game, and now I'm even toying with the idea of going to a local Scrabble club. Hasbro has GAINED money, at least from me, because of this Facebook application.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 7:07 p.m.

Because of Scrabulous, I bought a Scrabble board for my sister as a Christmas gift. I hadn't thought of the game at all for years, but we really got into it on Facebook.

Yes, it's illegal -- but demanding that it be shut down doesn't seem like the brightest move. Surely there's a compromise available. Hasbro/Mattel should be capitalizing on the game's success, not alienating its users. I wonder how real-world Scrabble sales have done in the past six months?

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 7:26 p.m.

My view on Scrabulous is that while the actual online game is not sold or otherwise distributed for profit there is no reason for the copyright holders to complain.

If Scrabulous were selling or distributing a board game or a computer game then that would be something to worry about. But they are not - they are providing a free service that is effectively free advertising for Scrabble. A service that has 'recruited' potential users of the board or copyrighted computer game. Two of my daughters fall into this category. They always used to laugh at me, but they have been converted via Facebook (not by me).

The Scrabulous site makes money just like any other internet site that is accessed free by their users, by advertising and NOT by selling Scrabble games to the end-user. If they were to restrict use of their site to subscribers then they would certainly be doing the wrong thing, but they aren't...

If Mattell and Hasbro are so worried, why on earth are the*****it and Wa****st left alone?? I seriously doubt that either pay any royalties to either Mattell of Hasbro and yet they have been going for years and years.

In fact, the*****it, who are no longer free, sell the right to play on their site: and the payment of rights to a copyright holder was never stated as an argument to justify their charges when the charges were first made a couple of years ago.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 7:56 p.m.

Because of Scrabulous, I joined a Scrabble Club at our local library that meets weekly. Yes, we play on actual Scrabble boards. So quityerwhinin'. Scrabulous has done more good for Scrabble than they could have done for themselves.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 9:10 p.m.

To all the people here that think Scrabulous has done no wrong... you are really, really selfish. Ever hear of owning your invention? Say you invented Barney. Just because every kid on the planet wants it does that mean you have to give it away for free? Um.. no.
"Everything in the internet is stolen anyways" is just about the most ignorant argument possible. Everyone is stealing so that makes it OK? Wonder how you would feel if someone came into your home and started taking your posessions. I am fairly certain you wouldn't allow that. But of course.. that affects you deirectly in a negative way.
"Snooze you lose"? You are forgetting one thing. Scrabulous doesn't own the rights to scrabble. Mattel/ Hasbro could sit on the game and never put it online if they want to. Why??? Because they OWN it and can do with it as they please.
Owners of Scrabulous could have very simply and easily negotiated something with Scrabble. They chose instead to STEAL, which as we all learned in Kindergarten, is wrong. Thou shalt not... its one of the big ones.

Before any of you jump down my throat, I am an avid Scrabble fan. I have 30 games going online at any given time. Would I pay for the service? Yes. Would I look at some ads to get the service for free? Yes. Am I leaving the Scrablulous site because I am now aware they have stolen? Yes.
Get off your high horses. Buy your CD's. Pay your 9 bucks to see the movie. Rent your porn (or whip out your credit card online).

Stop supporting theft. Karma is a b*tch.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 9:31 p.m.

"The idea for a game is not protected by copyright. The same is true of the name or title given to the game and of the method or methods for playing it."

http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl108.html

Posted by unregistered user at 1/17/08 11:48 p.m.

The name Scrabulous is a violation of Hasbro/Mattel's trademark. If you don't defend copyright/trademarks, you are in danger of losing them.
And Scrabulous isn't just similar to Scrabble, in almost all important ways it is identical. If Scrabulous's developers (who have made a lot of money on it( had done some work of their own they might have come up with something different, but they didn't.
And as Hasbro/Mattel have licensed out the online rights to EA, they can't give them to Scrabulous.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/18/08 1:48 a.m.

The reason hasbro has gone the confrontational route is because they already sold the electronic liscensce for the game (along with every other game) to EA years ago, they can't sell it twice.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/18/08 5:59 a.m.

I personally enjoy Scrabulous tremendously, but it always amazed how its develops could so blatantly reproduce the original Scrabble game without violating the rights of the copyright owners. The previous post re: the US copyright rules on games, is not complete. Based on what I read, the board design, which is copied faithfully by Scrabulous, right down to the colours of the squares, may be permissible for copyright.

As to the question of free publicity, that is a business decision to be taken by Mattel and Hasbro. Frankly, I would not be surprised that this 'cease and desist' order is very much a negotiation tactic that will force the hand of Scrabulous to make concessions to the copyright owners for advertising or other revenues. The licensing to EA of the electronic version of Scrabble, assuming it is still valid, represents another complication but can also be negotiated.

Posted by El Gonzo at 1/18/08 7:12 a.m.

I can see the copyright owners point of view, However, I played Scrabulous and bought the simple board version. I kept playing, enjoyed it so much that I bought the deluxe version. My brother in law enjoyed playing it and did about the same. His friend got involved and bought a board. His friends friend bought one too. This has become a nice pass time game for us. Everyone seems to win here. I hope this could be worked out to where we don't lose the online version. Hey if anything else, go to the neighborhood Game Stop and buy your own scrabble PC game for $14.99. We all have to admit Mattel/Hasbro are the victims.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/18/08 7:13 a.m.

Where the heck do you get off calling it "blatantly illegal"? Where's your law degree from? How many years have you been practicing trademark law?

You don't know jack about what you're talking about. Back it up, buddy.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/18/08 9:54 a.m.

Here is the letter I sent hasbro and mattel:

Dear Hasbro and Mattel

Over the last 6 months my family and I have all become interested in scrabble because of one reason.

Scrabulous on Facebook.

Because of this new interest we actually went out and bought two new scrabble games ( DELUXE EDITIONS) one for the cottage and one for the kids, additionally we also bought a scrabble junior game for our niece.

The decision by Hasbro to go after the creators of scrabulous is very short sighted and if you look at your business numbers I am sure you will actually see that sales have gone up thanks to this online application. This year I saw a skid of Scrabble games in Costco and have never seen that before and for that matter I never would have cared except for Scrabulous.

Just to let you know who is writing you, I am someone who never writes letter and I am a business man.

Be smart leave it alone or turn what could be lemons into lemonade and don't be greedy, in the end you could turn this into a media bonanza for hasbro that has a positive spin rather than being viewed as just another heartless corporation crushing fun.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/19/08 6:17 a.m.

PLEASE KEEP SCRABULOUS!!!

Its the only reason i use Facebook!

I have bought 2 actual Board Games since i started playing (standard for me and Pink one for my Mum) I have also bought the Nintendo DS version to keep me amused on the train!

Scrabulous provides he opportunity for those who have many hours in the office to kill to practise and brush up on their skills.

Playing Scrabulous on Facebook has introduced me to new people who i am now great friends with!

Please can you all sort something out to enable us to keep playing??

Why doesn't scrabble buy the gme off scrabulous and put their name on it? surely is good for business??

Posted by unregistered user at 1/20/08 9:59 a.m.

As soon as I heard this story, I removed Scrabulous as a Facebook application. As much as I enjoy playing Scrabble with people from all over the world, I had no idea that the developers were stealing from Hasbro/Mattel. I've been a business owner, and people stealing from us is what put us out of business. Facebook Scrabulous players are hasty to want to "stick it to the man" (their words), but the Scrabulous developers need to pay for the rights or cease and desist.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/20/08 12:53 p.m.

I am sure that there are many, many other recent widows like me who play Scrabulous to help fill the void. It has helped so much. While playing, one has to watch the clock and completely concentrate, leaving no time to think about your departed loved one. And I have enjoyed so very much chatting with my new friends worldwide. I credit the game for helping me get thru the lonesome months following his death. I pray that something will quickly be worked out so that the game can return.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/21/08 1:44 p.m.

the truth is, the owners of the copyright never managed to produce a decent version of the game for puter. i bought two different versions and they were truly awful. the Scrabulous Brothers are heroes in my book.

Posted by unregistered user at 1/25/08 10:24 a.m.

Well written article on the legal background of what's going down.
http://www.thelegality.com/archives/11

Posted by unregistered user at 1/28/08 2:09 a.m.

The problem with fee-based games is that they are generally not globally accessible. Also, while I may be willing to pay a fee to play the game, my favorite partners (such as my barely computer literate mom living on the other side of the world) probably won't, and frankly, I don't care to play with strangers.
The game belongs to Mattel and Hasbro. They ought to say thank you to the developers of Scrabulous, offer them some reasonable compensation for their efforts thus far, and a decent job maintaining the site and developing new applications for Hasbro. It would be ridiculous for Hasbro to turn their backs on such a large fan base.