Several Unavailable DLC Items in Steam

[Chacal]

Here's something from DTG_Martin that I just saw on the Steam forums.
I don't think it has been posted here before.
Emphasis mine.


We would certainly like to bring them back Felix.AVMP however the situation is currently beyond our control. It all gets a little complicated but basically there were changes in copyright within BNSF itself. For reasons unknown BNSF no longer has the rights to the BNSF brand outside of the USA which means that our licence with them is now only valid within the USA too. We are looking into the situation however and trying to reach a deal with the new international licence holder. To be honest BNSF are playing this very close to their chest and we may never find out the true reasons behind what has happened.

http://steamcommunity.com/app/24010/dis ... 8978797646

[evafan002]

Here's something from DTG_Martin that I just saw on the Steam forums.
I don't think it has been posted here before.
Emphasis mine.


We would certainly like to bring them back Felix.AVMP however the situation is currently beyond our control. It all gets a little complicated but basically there were changes in copyright within BNSF itself. For reasons unknown BNSF no longer has the rights to the BNSF brand outside of the USA which means that our licence with them is now only valid within the USA too. We are looking into the situation however and trying to reach a deal with the new international licence holder. To be honest BNSF are playing this very close to their chest and we may never find out the true reasons behind what has happened.

http://steamcommunity.com/app/24010/dis ... 8978797646

How in the Hell can a company lose the rights to their OWN company's name and brand? In all my reading of international and trademark law I have never once heard of anything similar

[JerryC]

Failure to pay attention to how long it has been since a trademark has been used can do the trick. That is more the driving reason behind heritage units than pleasing railfans.

Other noteable trademark slips:

Rock Island - at one time owned by Maytag. Last I checked, Iowa Interstate holds it.
Penn Central - NS doesn't own it, a private equity group does.

I would be willing to bet a copy of the U30C that this has something to do with a certain German chemical company whose name is only ONE letter different than BNSF.

[_o_OOOO_oo-Kanawha]

Failure to pay attention to how long it has been since a trademark has been used can do the trick. That is more the driving reason behind heritage units than pleasing railfans.

Other noteable trademark slips:

Rock Island - at one time owned by Maytag. Last I checked, Iowa Interstate holds it.
Penn Central - NS doesn't own it, a private equity group does.

I would be willing to bet a copy of the U30C that this has something to do with a certain German chemical company whose name is only ONE letter different than BNSF.

I don't fully understand. BSNF didn't (re-)register its brand name outside the USA, and somebody else bought it?

Are there actual BNSF interests outside the USA? Or is its parent holding Berkshire Hathaway Inc more concerned than BNSF the railroad itself?

About BASF SE I don't know much. BASF isn't even registered on NYSE. It is bigger in $$$ than BNSF, however.
How widely spread is its brand name since it has no consumer presence anymore? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASF

[JerryC]

BASF claim to fame is "we don't make the products, we make them better". If, and thats a big iff, they are involved, it could be nothing more than not wanting brand name confusion. Kind of like AB-Inbred suing Budvar Breweries over the "Bud" name. Who knows. The more I think about it, ole Billy was right...

[CPRailfan34]

I have found four DLC now rendered un available to me including the GP9 which I was going the purchase to use for the Pensylvania division and to get the CP repaint, Maria's and Stevens pass are unavailable and the sd70 pack one is unavailable. All because they contain content for BNSF, little does BNSF realize that they do have fans from Canada and other countries who would like to add certain DLC because there is a CN unit included or just because they want the route. Now those who want the "USA only" content will have to request it to be gifted to them by an American friend. Hopefully DTG can work with BNSF's international marketing department to get this sorted out.

[buzz456]

I have found four DLC now rendered un available to me including the GP9 which I was going the purchase to use for the Pensylvania division and to get the CP repaint, Maria's and Stevens pass are unavailable and the sd70 pack one is unavailable. All because they contain content for BNSF, little does BNSF realize that they do have fans from Canada and other countries who would like to add certain DLC because there is a CN unit included or just because they want the route. Now those who want the "USA only" content will have to request it to be gifted to them by an American friend. Hopefully DTG can work with BNSF's international marketing department to get this sorted out.

I guess you need to make some American friends.

[CPRailfan34]

I have found four DLC now rendered un available to me including the GP9 which I was going the purchase to use for the Pensylvania division and to get the CP repaint, Maria's and Stevens pass are unavailable and the sd70 pack one is unavailable. All because they contain content for BNSF, little does BNSF realize that they do have fans from Canada and other countries who would like to add certain DLC because there is a CN unit included or just because they want the route. Now those who want the "USA only" content will have to request it to be gifted to them by an American friend. Hopefully DTG can work with BNSF's international marketing department to get this sorted out.

I guess you need to make some American friends.

Yeah I guess I do! Unfortunately I don't have very many friends on my steam account.

Thanks for the reply Buzz.

[trev123]

I wonder if this can be circumvented by having a proxy server in the US.