So considering TF's that use the original 80's mold, why do the names have to be changed? Why wasn't Ro-Tor still named Vortex because the mold is the same. Different color, but still. The name Ro-Tor could be used to design a new Transformer. I guess my question is for those who understand copyrighting.
I've asked this question before, and got some decent answers but nothing that really made me fully understand what this is, so I'd be interested to find out as well. I know a lot of it has to do with the fact that you can't use a name for a TF that is too generic, ie just "Jazz" or "Tracks". What I really want to know is who owns the actual names to things like "Hot Rod", although I see that Hasbro has got back names like "Bluestreak" and "Shockwave" in recent years. Anyone know who had those during the time Hasbro didn't?
Well, as far as Ro-Tor is concerned, RiD Ruination was a completely different character from G1 Bruticus. So that had nothing to do with Trademark License.