Coleco strong-arming homebrew publishers and fan sites

[Keatah]

Well, yes, that's part of it. There's more. In business class I was taught to never admit mistakes in public, never answer "sticky" questions directly. Answer as if you heard a different question and reply with something neutral. It's tougher to do with the social media fad in full swing, but still doable. And don't retract anything if at all possible - makes ya'll look weak and stuff U know? Can even be an admission of guilt in a roundabout way. You can apologize and blame bad things on procedure, which you will "conveniently" look into. That kinda stuff.. Twist it around 2 months later. Be a hero and a nice guy.

Edited May 24, 2017 by Keatah

[Flojomojo]

ColecoTM/Cardillo has no leverage, no carrot, and no stick.

His promises of cross-promotion and the possibility of "something big" seem like just talk to me. That's no incentive. This is the person who lent his brand name to Mike "Magic Beans" Kennedy to (not) make the Coleco Chameleon, right?

He can throw around the word "prohibited," but if all he's got is the ability to harass a fan site by complaining to Facebook, that's not much to fear. Pursuing any perceived infringement could easily cost more than the tired old ColecoTM brand is worth. Cardillo drives that value down every time he writes his tone-deaf demands.

Who does Cardillo think he is to make any demands of anyone? A brand custodian, but what else?

Fortunately, he seems to be waking up to the fact that he needs the community more than they need him.

It's very telling that he's unwilling to retract his complaint to Facebook. This dude is in it for money and control. If he continues this behavior, he's not going to get either.

If I were him, I'd sell off the albatross around my neck while it's still worth something. Is it worth anything?

[DuggerVideoGames]

ColecoTM/Cardillo has no leverage, no carrot, and no stick.

 

His promises of cross-promotion and the possibility of "something big" seem like just talk to me. That's no incentive. This is the person who lent his brand name to Mike "Magic Beans" Kennedy to (not) make the Coleco Chameleon, right?

 

He can throw around the word "prohibited," but if all he's got is the ability to harass a fan site by complaining to Facebook, that's not much to fear. Pursuing any perceived infringement could easily cost more than the tired old ColecoTM brand is worth. Cardillo drives that value down every time he writes tone-deaf demands.

 

Who does Cardillo think he is to make any demands of anyone? A brand custodian, but what else?

 

Fortunately, he seems to be waking up to the fact that he needs the community more than they need him.

 

It's very telling that he's unwilling to retract his complaint to Facebook. This dude is in it for money and control. If he continues this behavior, he's not going to get either.

 

If I were him, I'd sell off the albatross around my neck while it's still worth something. Is it worth anything?

The problem is that he's not the head turd; there's turds bigger than him in this whole thing. If I were the turds he has to answer to, I'd be furious with the way he and his fellow lackeys handled the whole thing.

 

Besides, no matter what value - perceived or actual - that the name/brand may have, its potential is unmet so long as trademark squatters get their grubby hands on them and do NOTHING. Alienate a fan base - your entire potential market in this instance - and you pretty much ruin the legacy and value of the brand name. Nobody in their right mind would want to deal with these people.

Edited May 24, 2017 by DuggerVideoGames

[DuggerVideoGames]

Well, yes, that's part of it. There's more. In business class I was taught to never admit mistakes in public, never answer "sticky" questions directly. Answer as if you heard a different question and reply with something neutral. It's tougher to do with the social media fad in full swing, but still doable. And don't retract anything if at all possible - makes ya'll look weak and stuff U know? Can even be an admission of guilt in a roundabout way. You can apologize and blame bad things on procedure, which you will "conveniently" look into. That kinda stuff.. Twist it around 2 months later. Be a hero and a nice guy.

Bingo. I actually enjoyed making a C.E.O. sweat in my business administration classes back in the day; he was sweating bullets and dodging my direct questions about his obvious incompetence at his company. That evening was both educational AND entertaining!

[Flojomojo]

The problem is that he's not the head turd; there's turds bigger than him in this whole thing. If I were the turds he has to answer to, I'd be furious with the way he and his fellow lackeys handled the whole thing.

You mean River West Brands Grave Robbers, LLC?

[Flojomojo]

OMG
RWB was acquired last year by a company called Dormitus http://dormitus.com
They have a stupendously pompous/dorky advertising concept... old brands are "sleeping giants" like dormant volcanoes that "hold a sacred place in our consciousness" and they will "breathe new life into these brands that never died"
I am not making this up
http://dormitus.com

 

Their portfolio:

Cingular

Coleco/Colecovision

Brim

Cross Colours

Aiwa

Underalls

Handspring

Spuds McKenzie

 

Spuds MacKenzie is back. We have launched both a line of pet accessories and vitamins to help those older party animals with their aches and pains. Also, the Spud MacKenzie Bar & Grill opened in Cleveland prior to Super Bowl LI.

[mr_me]

Without software intellectual property (eg. games), I don't think the Coleco brand is worth anything. I don't know what kind of deal they made with AT Games if they have no software IP.

[DuggerVideoGames]

The saddest - stupidest, actually - thing about this entire circus is the fact that Cardillo and friends were barking up the wrong tree and bullying the wrong people. If I'm a businessman who thinks I own X trademark and have Y rights, I'd also be doing everything I could to protect what I perceive to be my rights and ownership; however, these chuckleheads were loose cannons who flew off the handle and took immediate drastic action without thinking about the consequences of the people they would alienate.

I'm not saying Cardillo and friends are right about anything, because anything they say is highly questionable; however, they've been most foolish in how they handled the entire thing. Congrats on spraying all over the place, fellas. The wrong people were caught in the middle and you look like idiots for it; even worse, the wrong people happen to be your target audience for what endeavors - if any - you have in the future. Way to go!

[PkK]

Without software intellectual property (eg. games), I don't think the Coleco brand is worth anything. I don't know what kind of deal they made with AT Games if they have no software IP.

 

A deal about the right to call the ColecoVision flashback "ColecoVision flashback" I guess?

 

Philipp

[mr_me]

Right, and if you also had to pay for the rights to all the games on the Colecovision Flashback how much money is left for just the Coleco name.

[+opcode]

Someone can't grasp what this is all about. If I wanted world domination and tons of money, I would apply for a Switch license, I wouldn't be doing games for a defunct platform with a few hundred potential buyers at best. So offering to promote my games has no meaning to me (even if the person offering was actually able to do that).

 

The one needing promotion is Coleco. A Switch post on Facebook gets an average of 2k likes. I have got over 100 likes with some of my posts, including one about Prometheus just 2 days ago. CVF can go way over that number. I am not bragging, just stating facts. You need us to help you (as far as colecovision goes at least) not the opposite.

[Ikrananka]

OMG

RWB was acquired last year by a company called Dormitus http://dormitus.com

They have a stupendously pompous/dorky advertising concept... old brands are "sleeping giants" like dormant volcanoes that "hold a sacred place in our consciousness" and they will "breathe new life into these brands that never died"

I am not making this up

http://dormitus.com

 

So looks like Dormitus Brands are what's driving this insanity. They are clearly driving the "lie like hell" ethos. Just look at their poorly written website statement regarding the ColecoVision Flashback:

 

"Like many game companies at the time, Coleco went bankrupt in the late ’80s. However, it was reformed in 2005, and now producing new gaming products like the ColecoVision Flashback"

 

1. AtGames produced the Flashback and NOT Coleco.

2. Coleco was NOT "reformed" in 2005. Trademark trolls (River West Brands) just bought the trademark.

3. And just being pedantic, Coleco was FAR from just a "game" company. They manufactured a wide range of goods including swimming pools.

[enoofu]

"Coleco was NOT "reformed" in 2005"

Kinda true as Coleco was bought by Hasbro in 1989

 

Some of the Coleco company was repackage with Atari and Hasbro software to Infogrames in 2001

Infogrames became Atari around 2003-2009

[Ikrananka]

The key differentiation is that the original company was called Coleco Inc. while the trademark troll shell company is called Coleco Holdings LLC. Two ENTIRELY different companies. Something that the Wikipedia page needs some clarification on.....

[Flojomojo]

Just look at their poorly written website statement regarding the ColecoVision Flashback:

 

"Like many game companies at the time, Coleco went bankrupt in the late ’80s. However, it was reformed in 2005, and now producing new gaming products like the ColecoVision Flashback"

 

Coleco was NOT "reformed" in 2005. Trademark trolls (River West Brands) just bought the trademark.

 

Perhaps they were "reformed" not in the sense of "putting something back together," but "bring about a change in (someone) so that they no longer behave in an immoral, criminal, or self-destructive manner."

 

 

Nahhh, they still seem like Bad Dudes to me.

[Flojomojo]

This is an undoctored screen grab of the Coleco Expo "Guests" page. Could it be any more appropriate? If you are a featured speaker at this expo, "you lose." Imagine how the paying customers must feel!

 

[Omega-TI]

 

Reform_School_Girl_Movie_Poster.png

 

That was totally entertaining. At first I was sad to see a thread like this, then it became mildly amusing, then I started enjoying the community all pull together, but this last one, front-streeting the principal parties while injecting humor at the same time.... CLASSIC!

[Cav]

Do the violation affect the Facebook page? It seems as though the page is up and thriving (as many of you pointed out).

Jeez, dude. THAT'S your reply after crapping on a fan site??

[mr_me]

The Wikipedia Coleco page looks okay. If you have better information you can update Wikipedia. Like some clarification of the videogame assets going to Hasbro. What assets went where. The activities of River West Brands could be deleted or relocated since its a different company.

 

"While the company's first iteration disappeared in 1988 as a result of declining interest, the Coleco brand was revived in 2005, and remains active to this day."

 

"In 1988, the company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy."

"In 1989, Hasbro and Canada based SLM Action Sports Inc. purchased Coleco's assets."

"In 2005, River West Brands, now Dormitus Brands, a Chicago-based brand revitalization company, re-introduced the Coleco brand to the marketplace. In late 2006, the company introduced the Coleco Sonic, a handheld system containing twenty Sega Master System and Sega Game Gear games. In 2014, River West Brands established the subsidiary Coleco Holdings for their Coleco-branded projects."

 

The ColecoVision wikipedia page needs some work. Someone should update it to indicate the path of Colecovision intellectual properties. It does mention River West Brands owning the brand name but nothing else after 1986. There can be a homebrew section.

 

Edit: That "first iteration" bit on the Coleco page is not accurate. It should be edited, anyone can edit wikipedia.

Edited May 24, 2017 by mr_me

[Flojomojo]

It should read "the tire fire formerly known as 'Coleco' has been burning for 29 years, and is being actively looted by classic gamers of all descriptions. They should take care not to get burned."

 

[Ikrananka]

The Wikipedia Coleco page looks okay.

 

The ColecoVision wikipedia page needs some work. Someone should update it to indicate the path of Colecovision intellectual properties. It does mention River West Brands owning the brand name but nothing else after 1986. There can be a homebrew section.

 

Edit: That "first iteration" bit on the Coleco page is not accurate. It should be edited, anyone can edit wikipedia.

 

The Coleco page is in fact a mess of misinformation, e.g. Coleco Inc. was NOT headquartered in Manalapan, NJ. but West Hartford, Connecticut. It really should be split into two separate pages in the same way that the Atari Inc. and Atari brand pages are separate there should be a Coleco Industries Inc. page and a Coleco brand page.

[ColecoJoe]

You need us to help you (as far as colecovision goes at least) not the opposite.

 

 

Not to mention you need US to buy your products. I'm totally put off by this and would never purchase anything official from Coleco now, and from reading CC's posts here and on Facebook i'm not sure this is a repairable relationship between Coleco and the community.

[mr_me]

 

The Coleco page is in fact a mess of misinformation, e.g. Coleco Inc. was NOT headquartered in Manalapan, NJ. but West Hartford, Connecticut. It really should be split into two separate pages in the same way that the Atari Inc. and Atari brand pages are separate there should be a Coleco Industries Inc. page and a Coleco brand page.

Like I originally said "The Wikipedia Coleco page looks okay. If you have better information you can update Wikipedia"...

 

edit: it's good to include references when editing wikipedia

Edited May 24, 2017 by mr_me

[enoofu]

Coleco Holdings

Originator of the coleco chameleon

[+Swami]

 

So looks like Dormitus Brands are what's driving this insanity. They are clearly driving the "lie like hell" ethos. Just look at their poorly written website statement regarding the ColecoVision Flashback:

 

"Like many game companies at the time, Coleco went bankrupt in the late 80s. However, it was reformed in 2005, and now producing new gaming products like the ColecoVision Flashback"

 

1. AtGames produced the Flashback and NOT Coleco.

2. Coleco was NOT "reformed" in 2005. Trademark trolls (River West Brands) just bought the trademark.

3. And just being pedantic, Coleco was FAR from just a "game" company. They manufactured a wide range of goods including swimming pools.

This is a nice catch! It could actually explain a lot. There appears to be a large escalation of passive-aggressive behavior from coleco in just the last couple weeks without much warning. Partnerships do not seem to have been cardillo's cup of tea and if he is being pushed into it with some new world order from higher-ups that would go a long way to explaining a lot of the mystery about it. It's either that or Carrillo and friends are just bizarre in nature.