Q: The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways.
The Skullgirls team has taken a digital product that many people purchased and altered it in very significant ways. They've cut out entire pages from the art book, removed and re-announced voice lines, and drawn over concept art to make it less offensive. The current Skullgirls team, while many of them have ties to the very beginning of the game, is not the same team it was at the beginning. They're missing some of the most important contributors to the Skullgirls brand. They're also literally a completely different company than the original Lab Zero, who is now censoring Lab Zero's products.
if these were physical products. Imagine if you bought a physical art book that you really loved. Ten years later, when the company you bought that art book from is overtaken by another company, that new company comes into your house and demands that you give them the pages of the art book that they deemed offensive.
A:
In cases like the Skullgirls situation you're describing, where digital content is altered post-purchase, the legal implications can be complex. For digital products, the terms of service or end-user license agreement (EULA) often give the company wide latitude to make changes. It's important to review these agreements to understand your rights as a consumer.
The analogy of a physical product like an art book being altered is compelling, but the legal treatment of digital and physical goods can differ significantly. Digital content is often subject to different rules and expectations regarding ownership and modification rights.
If you feel your consumer rights have been violated, or you're concerned about the legality of the changes made to the Skullgirls game, consulting with an attorney experienced in consumer law and digital products can provide clarity. They can assess whether the alterations made by the new company managing Skullgirls might have breached any contractual terms or consumer protection laws.
Each situation is unique, and the digital realm adds layers of complexity to traditional consumer rights issues. Legal guidance can help you navigate these complexities and determine the best course of action.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
