Knock Offs Driving You Bananas? Let's Look Into It Together, Toy Fans

Just because a toy looks like it's a knock off, doesn't necessarily mean it is one. The reality may only be clear by delving deep into a toy's origins, and the real world may not protect your fond memories for as long as you might like...

[@P3SS3SSOd]

As somone who has roughly 16 official MPs and 25 third party MPs I constantly find it intriguing as to how far these lapsed boundaries get pushed. I think the current age we're in now with rapid manufacturing there's a lot of get-in-get-out adult-oriented collector pieces that look to fill gaps in ways completely unavailable previously. When I did my custom Palitoy/Toltoys Death Star playset I kept being able to push the goal posts out with the amount of 3d printed and fan made pieces. Which gives me a genuine sense of satisfaction and completion, something I couldn't if I kept to stringent 'Kenner only' rules. I even saw a very well done 3D model of The Ghoul from the recent Fallout series available for printing and building mere weeks after the series aired. That kind of turn around is incredible and something copyright holders must feel completely hamstrung over, cause the sales and profit margins have been made long before the cease and desist letter even gets drafted.

[@ExcelsiorsDomain]

In the UK it's design rights for physical objects, different to copyright but I agree entirely. You wouldn't be able to package a 3D imitation the right way without bumping into copyright and trade mark issues. What you raise is a very interesting point in that doing a 3D print of a current IP that is actually original but sold "as is" might be quite hard for rights holders to police because no copying would have occurred. As I said on the video, really complicated area and we're applying quite old concepts in the face of ever faster technology.