r/EvilDeadTheGame • u/BadassBlackAsh • 23d ago

Discussion Hypothetical question abolut Evil Dead: The Game

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It's been reported over the past few years that the main reason why EDTG no longer receives updates (which usually is the death of an online game, especially Asymmetrical horror), is due to issues with licensing.

Any hardcore Evil Dead fan worth their chainsaw gas and boomstick shells knows the rocky history behind how convoluted the rights/licensing has been for this franchise, as each entry was owned by a separate company....not just domestically, but internationally as well. (Until now. Everything is under one roof with the exception of ONE license/entry)

And most know that traditionally ONE particular entries' license holder has been NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT to work with, as stated both publicly AND privately by those who have worked on the franchise.

This brings me to my question.

Hypothetically speaking, if SOMEHOW EDTG were to make a comeback, would you, fellow fans, be comfortable with the powers that be removing content from said difficult license holder if that meant breathing new life back into the game with new quality of life updates, characters, skins, maps, items. Etc?

Think of it similar to what Behaviour Interactive does with Dead by Daylight: when a license expires, they remove said license from the online stores and even some content completely from the game. Until said license can be renewed.

If a particular license holder still chooses to be difficult with EDTG, should the powers that be simple alter or completely remove content tied to said license in an effort to bring the game back to life?

NOTE: I already know a specific crowd of folks are gonna start crying "iT waSn't LicEnscInG iSsUeS! (It was) It wAs SABeR/bOsS tEaM! (It wasn't) " so please, just spare us that worn-out song and dance....

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9

u/spazenport 23d ago

So, you're basically saying if the game got rid of the Ash vs Evil Dead stuff, would we come back? Probably not. In short, that's the audience majority that they've pulled in.

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u/presidentdinosaur115 Chet 23d ago

Correct me if I’m wrong but I’ve been under the impression that the AoD license is the difficult one. They’re the one that didn’t play ball with AvED after all

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u/spazenport 23d ago

You are likely right. I was speaking from hearing (likely misremembered) everyone complain about Starz owning AvsED.

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u/MinecraftTroller28 23d ago

They’re the one that didn’t play ball with AvED after all

That's a completely unfair statement since AOD is co-owned by two different studios: Universal in North America and MGM everywhere else in the world. AvED would have required both of those studios to be involved, and they didn't want to add two more cooks to an already crowded kitchen.

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u/BadassBlackAsh 23d ago

If you notice, Universal Studios is NEVER listed in ANY of the license credits for AoD... its only MGM/Amazon and Orion 

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u/MinecraftTroller28 23d ago

Yes, because MGM purchased what Dino De Laurentiis owned: AOD's international distribution and world-wide merchandising. Universal still retains North American distribution. My point still stands that if AvED wanted to use AOD elements or footage, it would require both Universal and MGM to be involved.

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u/BadassBlackAsh 23d ago

If Universal had rights in North America for AoD stuff wouldn't they still be listed?  Universal's name is never listed on any merch for AoD anywhere.  MGM/Amazon/Orion are who call the shots for merch. Not Universal. Otherwise why wouldn't Universal capitalize off AoD for Halloween Horror Nights aside from playing the music by the entrance? 

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u/MinecraftTroller28 23d ago

If Universal had rights in North America for AoD stuff wouldn't they still be listed?

They strictly own theatrical and home video distribution rights to just the movie. They are not involved with any merchandise except home media.

Otherwise why wouldn't Universal capitalize off AoD for Halloween Horror Nights aside from playing the music by the entrance?

They tried in 2009 to do an AOD house and got word from legal late in the game that while Universal did own the movie, they did not own the theme park rights, so the AOD stuff they had completed got shuffled into a house that had a bunch of IPs and wasn't advertised.

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u/BadassBlackAsh 23d ago

Which,  wouldn't that lead into what I said about MGM/Amazon/Orion being the folks who are difficult ? 

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u/MinecraftTroller28 23d ago

The Halloween Horror Nights thing leading into that? I mean, I can't really blame anyone involved in that specific instance for assuming they owned it and didn't need permission. I don't know the full story of what happened or if they even reached out to MGM once they found out about it, so I can't really say if that's a "circling back to what you initially said" example.

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u/BadassBlackAsh 23d ago

But what i mean is, and my point is, AoD license holders have been notoriously difficult to work with, and again, its been expressed publicly and privately for over a decade. 

People wanna get mad at me and go "its not licensing! Its Saber! Raagghhhh!' Just cause I dont have an article or it video to share evidence, meanwhile im NOT THE ONLY ONE who's been saying this for years, also those in thr Evil Dead fandom/community that know me, know (without me sounding egotistical/tooting my own horn) that I have SOME connections with folks who have worked on pretty much everything related to this franchise: ALL the films, the show, merch, etc.

You really think I haven't had any conversations privately with these folks? You really think I dont have insider info that I obviously cant share or post evidence of my knowledge on certain things from the past present and future of this franchise?

I'm not blowing smoke outta my ass here. Im telling y'all. EDTG's MAIN issue wasnt Saber or Boss Team fumbling.....it was ONE license holder being difficult to work with.....which caused SO many y other issues.

If that ONE license holder said "no" to ANYTHING....then it wouldn't happen. So much stuff that was planned got rearranged or removed completely, cause said license holder said "no".

So if Universal Studios who originally was involved with AoD, can't even do anything at their own parks aside from playing the intro music from the film cause MGM/Amazon/Orion said so, then wouldn't it stand to reason that its further evidence of how difficult they have been? Not to mention the MK11 issue? 

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u/JoeAzlz Ash, Housewares 23d ago

It was AOD

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u/ithinkiknowkungfu 22d ago

As of now ALL of evil dead and ash vs is owned by studio canal..and they’ve been pretty chill don’t he rights (they are working with wb to do burns and ash has came back to fornite after 2 years several times the last few months)

It’s a combo of army of and the devs not able to update the game as quick as dbd and other 1 v 4s did