Just because you have a legal right to something doesn’t mean it’s always the right decision.  Copyright allows the creator of a work to control derivative works – creative works based on the original work.  This is a legal right of content creators, but enforcing it hurts the content creators more by alienating the very fans who keep them in business.

Let’s look at two examples.  First, fans of the Lord of the Rings created an impressive film telling an untold story using the characters and lore from the books.  “Hunt for Gollum” was a labor of love by people who love the Lord of the Rings so much, they spent their own time and money producing a film of amazing quality and storytelling.  Thankfully, Tolkien’s estate allowed the film to be released as long it was always non-profit.  But why only non-profit? These fans made this movie (and others will see it) because they already love the Lord of the Rings.  Fans know it’s not an authorized edition or cannon to the storyline (and if you ask most geeks, being cannon is the most important thing to get our interest).  This means if Tolkien’s estate comes out with their own telling of the same story, it will still have the same audience, plus more who found out about the fan-made film – it’s a win-win situation.

But not all companies see the benefits of fan production.  Video game publisher Square-Enix sent a cease-and-desist notice to a fan-made sequel to the classic game Chrono Trigger.  Square has taken down several fan productions related to Chrono Trigger, this most recent takedown happening mere weeks before the game’s release.  But what is the threat? Square is still free to release their own cannon sequels – this fan production only serves to increase the value and attention on this 15 year old franchise.  The people making this massive game are fans – the people Square should be supporting not suing.

Video games especially have shown how fan labors of love can help the series.  Many video games include modification tools to allow fans to create their own games and stories, either expanding on the official material or creating worlds of their own.  While Square has the legal right to stop these fan-games, they are hurting the very people who keep them in business.

Video game developer Square-Enix deserves credit for giving credit where credit’s due. The makers of the blockbuster Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest franchises, has released disappointing 2007 financials, leading the company’s president, Yoichi Wada, to say his developers need to “stop making games that only they wanted to play.”

Square-Enix’s profits dropped 20 percent and it ceded significant North American market share to competitors. Most of last years sales game from Final Fantasy spin-offs.

Square already seems to have a strategy in place involving new, innovative properties as Wada says, “We need to go beyond traditional Square-Enix.” Instead of shaking the Final Fantasy-tree to economic death, Square released The World Ends with You, an amazing, creative, and deep game that plays to Square’s longevity as the premiere RPG developer while expanding include a myriad of genres in one game. Upcoming new franchises like Infinite Undiscovery and Last Remnant could be Final Fantasy-lite or rejuvenating franchises. The company doesn’t need to do away with RPGs or even focus on other genres. Diversity and innovation in any capacity can feed the industry and be rewarded with rejuvenated fans.