Trademark, licence, and brand use policy

Documentation
, , ,
1

RPG Trader welcomes and encourages original games, supplements, fan-inspired creations, and compatible content. This policy explains how trademarks, brand names, logos, and other identifiers may be used on the marketplace.

Our goal is to:

  • Help customers understand what they are buying.

  • Respect the intellectual property rights of others.

  • Reduce confusion about whether a product is official or endorsed.

  • Provide creators with clear, consistent guidelines.

This policy applies to product titles, descriptions, cover images, logos, publisher names, screenshots, tags, metadata, promotional material, and any other content displayed on RPG Trader.

General principle

Creators must not present their products in a way that is likely to cause customers to believe the product is officially licensed, published, endorsed, sponsored, or affiliated with another person, company, brand, or intellectual property unless they have permission to do so.

When in doubt, products should have their own original identity.

Product titles

A product should have its own original title.

Generally acceptable

  • Heroes of the Wilds: Compatible with Cairn

  • The Last Vanguard: Inspired by Mass Effect

  • Any other original title

Generally not acceptable

Unless officially published or licensed, names like this are generally not permitted:

  • Call of Duty Solo RPG

  • Official PokĂ©mon RPG

  • Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Pack

  • Titles that place another company’s trademark as the primary name of the product.

Simply adding words like “Unofficial”, “Fan-made”, or “Not affiliated” to the product description does not make an otherwise misleading title acceptable.

“Inspired by”

The best way to indicate that your work draws inspiration from another work is by using “inspired by” phrasing.

Examples include:

  • Inspired by Assassin’s Creed

  • Inspired by Dungeons & Dragons

This is generally less likely to confuse customers than phrases such as “based on” or “derived from”, particularly when referring to another company’s intellectual property.

The referenced trademark should be descriptive rather than the primary branding of the product.

Compatibility statements

Compatibility statements are generally permitted when they truthfully describe compatibility.

Examples include:

  • Compatible with MĂ–RK BORG

  • Compatible with Mausritter

  • Compatible with Pathfinder Second Edition

Compatibility claims must:

  • Be accurate.

  • Not imply endorsement.

  • Not be more prominent than the creator’s own product title.

  • Not use another company’s logo unless permission has been granted (such as official compatibility logos).

  • Be limited to what is reasonably necessary to describe compatibility (e.g. naming the compatible system, not implying endorsement or affiliation).

Logos and brand assets

Do not use another company’s:

  • Logos

  • Trade dress

  • Distinctive branding

  • Publisher marks

  • Official typography combined with branding elements

unless you have permission or are otherwise legally entitled to do so.

Official artwork and copyrighted material

Do not include copyrighted artwork, maps, illustrations, layouts, icons, or other protected creative material unless you have permission or the material is available under an applicable licence.

Fan-made does not automatically mean permitted. If you are uncertain, contact the original publisher for permission.

Fan works

Fan-created works may be accepted provided they:

  • Have an original product title.

  • Clearly identify themselves as unofficial where appropriate.

  • Do not imply endorsement.

  • Do not use protected branding or logos.

  • Comply with any applicable licences, fan content policies, or other permissions issued by the rights holder.

RPG Trader may decline fan works where the overall presentation is likely to confuse customers or expose the marketplace to unnecessary legal risk.

Community content programs and third-party licences

Many publishers offer licences that allow third parties to publish compatible or community content.

Creators are responsible for complying with any licence they rely upon.

Examples include:

  • Open licences

  • Community content programs

  • Third-party licences

  • Fan content policies

  • Creator licences

  • Commercial licences

Products that fail to comply with the applicable licence may be removed.

Non-commercial licences

Some licences permit distribution only on a non-commercial basis.

For the purposes of RPG Trader, any product published on the site is considered commercial, even if the product itself is available for free or uses a pay-what-you-want model. RPG Trader is a commercial marketplace, and products published on the site are therefore considered commercial distribution.

A licence that permits only non-commercial distribution generally does not allow publication on RPG Trader unless:

  • it is available for free (not pay-what-you-want) and the applicable licence expressly permits distribution through commercial marketplaces under those circumstances; or

  • the creator has obtained separate permission from the rights holder.

Creators are responsible for ensuring their use complies with the licence terms.

Publisher and brand names

Creators must not publish products under publisher names or brands that they do not own or have permission to use.

Publisher identities should accurately identify the creator of the work.

Impersonation

Creators must not present themselves as another publisher, studio, designer, or brand.

This includes using publisher names, logos, profile images, storefront pages, or branding in a way that is likely to make customers believe an account represents someone else.

Parody and clearly transformative uses may be permitted where they are unlikely to cause confusion.

Disclaimers

Disclaimers can be helpful but do not override this policy.

For example:

This is an unofficial fan project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the rights holder.

may reduce confusion, but it does not make otherwise misleading branding acceptable.

RPG Trader review process

RPG Trader may request changes where we believe a product:

  • Creates customer confusion.

  • Misuses another party’s trademark.

  • Uses branding that suggests official endorsement.

  • Does not comply with an applicable licence.

  • Creates unreasonable legal risk for the marketplace.

Possible actions include requesting changes to:

  • Product title

  • Cover image

  • Description

  • Tags

  • Other metadata

  • Branding

  • Publisher information

or, where necessary, declining or removing the product as a last resort.

RPG Trader reserves the right to interpret and apply this policy on a case-by-case basis to address situations that are not expressly covered.

Reporting intellectual property concerns

Rights holders, or their authorised representatives, who believe content infringes their intellectual property may contact RPG Trader at support@rpgtrader.com.

We will review reports promptly and may temporarily restrict or remove content while investigating.

Creator responsibility

Creators are solely responsible for ensuring that their products comply with applicable intellectual property laws and any licences under which they publish.

Acceptance onto RPG Trader does not constitute legal approval or confirmation that a product complies with intellectual property law.

Questions

If you are unsure whether your product title, branding, or use of another intellectual property is appropriate, please contact RPG Trader before publishing. We’re happy to help you avoid issues before your product goes live.

1 Like