Pong Sports release date / copyright

[Andre81]

How is it possible, that Pong Sports has a copyright from 1975?

 

http://www.atarimania.com/game-atari-2600-vcs-pong-sports_16597.html

[pimpmaul69]

was it because the games were released on a pong system?

[SRGilbert]

I'm pretty sure it's indicating that the word "Pong" has a copyright of 1975. Although that's weird since words are usually trademarked.

 

[misspent_youth]

I think that's probably an error by the legal or marketing staff at Sears, using the Copyright indicator (circle 'c') instead of the Registered Mark indicator (circle 'r'). You probably couldn't successfully argue for copyright on the word Pong because it doesn't really meet the legal requirements for a copyright work.

[Andre81]

I'm pretty sure it's indicating that the word "Pong" has a copyright of 1975. Although that's weird since words are usually trademarked.

 

 

I think you are right. Tank-Plus has a copyright for the Tank trademark from 1976.

 

http://www.atarimani...plus_27508.html

 

Does anyone know the real release date, so that AtariMania can be corrected?

Edited October 3, 2011 by Andre81

[Schizophretard]

Maybe they are correct because they are two of the original nine launch titles.

[opeygon]

According to Wikipedia :

 

In 1975, Bushnell started an effort to produce a flexible video game console that was capable of playing all four of Atari's then-current games

 

So is it possible that Pong Sports, as a cartridge game, came to be in 1975 even though it wasn't released until a few years later?

[Retro Rogue]

I think that's probably an error by the legal or marketing staff at Sears, using the Copyright indicator (circle 'c') instead of the Registered Mark indicator (circle 'r'). You probably couldn't successfully argue for copyright on the word Pong because it doesn't really meet the legal requirements for a copyright work.

 

 

Yes. That's the second label, the original text version has ®.

 

http://www.atariage....wareLabelID=371

 

 

According to Wikipedia :

 

In 1975, Bushnell started an effort to produce a flexible video game console that was capable of playing all four of Atari's then-current games

 

So is it possible that Pong Sports, as a cartridge game, came to be in 1975 even though it wasn't released until a few years later?

 

No. A) Bushnell didn't start the effort, the guys at Cyan did. b) The proof of concept was a home version of Tank which eventually morphed in to the Combat cartridge. Video Olympics didn't start until later, with the branched off PONG Sports even later.

 

 

 

Maybe they are correct because they are two of the original nine launch titles.

 

 

Video Olympics was a launch title, not PONG Sports. They're not the same cartridge.