I have many great ideas for a video game or movie, but no companies accept suggestions from the public because its "unsolicited material". Many people have great ideas for things like this that would otherwised never have been thought of, so why can't companies legally accept these suggestions?
2007-12-20 05:03:03 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
They can legally accept them, however it is a can of worms. They can not prove that you did not steal the idea for example.
2007-12-20 05:06:06 · answer #1 · answered by davidmi711 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If a company were to make a game based upon your suggestion there is a possibility that they could be sued by you for stealing your idea. To avoid these kinds of lawsuits many types of companies will not even look at "unsolicited materials.
Movie studios will not look at unsolicited scripts.
Record companies will not listen to unsolicited tapes and recordings.
Game companies are the same way.
Moreover, if the company came up with a game that had a similarity to your idea they could be sued by you even if they came up with the idea independently.
Therefore, they don't look at unsolicited ideas as a defense to possible future lawsuits about ownership of an idea.
I am not a lawyer. If you need legal advice only a licensed lawyer can give legal advise.
2007-12-20 05:13:03 · answer #2 · answered by Citizen1984 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Citizens advice above is dead on, and I can say that because digital entertainment startup companies are my business.
The way to go about it are these:
1 - If you are nor interested in money, then share your ideas among the independent game developer crowd or learn how to do the programming yourself
2 - If you are interested in money, then you are looking at a very high risk, but potentially high return business. There are individuals and companies that participate in funding development to build a business. But just an idea without a business plan is not likely to interest anyone. Ideas are not a scarce commodity, but teams that can build a product and deliver a service are. Work to prove you can do that, and you will start to get attention.
2007-12-20 08:49:40 · answer #3 · answered by Barry C 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Copyright liability. If it can be proven that an idea was delivered to them for consideration, and is later used in a production, they would be liable to pay royalties.
2007-12-20 05:07:06 · answer #4 · answered by Jim P 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
because they think they know better!
2007-12-20 05:15:43 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋