Exhibit 10.1
CONFIDENTIAL LICENSE
AGREEMENT
FOR THE Wii
CONSOLE (Western Hemisphere)
THIS LICENSE
AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into between
NINTENDO OF AMERICA INC. (“NOA”) at 4820 150th Avenue
N.E., Redmond, WA 98052 Attn: General Counsel (Fax:
425-882-3585) and THQ INC. (“LICENSEE”) at 29903 Agoura
Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301, Attn: Business & Legal
Affairs (Fax: 818-871-7400). NOA and LICENSEE agree as
follows:
1.
RECITALS
1.1
NOA markets and sells advanced design, high-quality video game
systems, including the Wii video game console
(“Wii”).
1.2
LICENSEE desires use of the highly proprietary programming
specifications, unique and valuable security technology,
trademarks, copyrights and other valuable intellectual property
rights of NOA and its parent company, Nintendo Co., Ltd., which
rights are only available for use under the terms of a license
agreement, to develop ****, have manufactured, advertise, market
and sell video game software for play on Wii.
1.3
NOA is willing to grant a license to LICENSEE on the terms and
conditions set forth in this Agreement.
2.
DEFINITIONS
2.1
“Artwork” means the text
and design specifications for the Game Disc label and the Printed
Materials in the format specified by NOA in the
Guidelines.
2.2
“Bulk Goods” means Game Discs that have been printed
with the Game Disc label Artwork for delivery to LICENSEE without
Printed Materials or other packaging.
2.3
“Check Disc(s)” means the pre-production Game Discs to
be produced by Nintendo.
2.4
“Confidential Information”
means the information described in Section 8.1.
2.5
“Development Tools” means
the development kits, programming tools, emulators and other
materials of Nintendo, or third parties authorized by Nintendo,
that may be used in the development of Games under this
Agreement.
2.6
“Effective Date” means
October 13, 2006.
2.7
“Game Discs(s)” means
custom optical discs for play on Wii on which a Game has been
stored.
2.8
“Game(s)” means any
interactive programs (including source and object/binary code)
developed to be compatible with Wii.
2.9
“Guidelines” means the
then current version of “Wii Programming Guidelines,”
“Licensee Packaging Guidelines,” and “Nintendo
Trademark Guidelines,” together with other guidelines
provided by NOA to LICENSEE from time to time.
2.10
“Independent Contractor”
means any individual or entity that is not an employee
of
*
Confidential portion omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
LICENSEE, including any independent programmer,
consultant, contractor, board member or advisor.
2.11
“Intellectual Property
Rights” means individually, collectively or in any
combination, Proprietary Rights owned, licensed or otherwise held
by Nintendo that are associated with the development,
manufacturing, advertising, marketing or sale of the Licensed
Products, including, without limitation, (a) registered and
unregistered trademarks and trademark applications used in
connection with Wii including “Nintendo®”,
“Wii TM ,” “Official Nintendo Seal of
Quality®”, and Mii TM , (b) select trade
dress associated with Wii and licensed video games for play
thereon, (c) Proprietary Rights in the Security Technology
employed in the Games or Game Discs by Nintendo, (d) rights in
the Development Tools for use in developing the Games, excluding,
however, rights to use, incorporate or duplicate select libraries,
protocols and/or sound or graphic files associated with the
Development Tools which belong to any third party, without
obtaining any necessary licenses or consents, (e) patents,
design registrations or copyrights which may be associated
with the Game Discs or Printed Materials, (f) copyrights in
the Guidelines, and (g) other Proprietary Rights of Nintendo
in the Confidential Information.
2.12
“Licensed Products” means
Bulk Goods after being assembled by or for LICENSEE with the
Printed Materials in accordance with the Guidelines.
2.13
“Marketing Materials” means marketing, advertising or
promotional materials developed by or for LICENSEE (or subject to
LICENSEE’s approval) that promote the sale of the Licensed
Products, including but not limited to, television, radio and
on-line advertising, point-of-sale materials (e.g., posters,
counter-cards), package advertising, print media and all audio or
video content other than the Game that is to be included on the
Game Disc.
2.14
“NDA” means the non-disclosure agreement related to Wii
previously entered into between NOA and LICENSEE.
2.15
“Nintendo” means NOA’s parent company, Nintendo
Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, individually or collectively with
NOA.
2.16
“Notice” means any notice permitted or required under
this Agreement. All notices shall be sufficiently given when
(a) personally served or delivered, or (b) transmitted by
facsimile, with an original sent concurrently by first
class U.S. mail, or (c) deposited, postage prepaid, with
a guaranteed air courier service, in each case addressed as stated
herein, or addressed to such other person or address either party
may designate in a Notice. Notice shall be deemed effective
upon the earlier of actual receipt or two (2) business days
after transmittal.
2.17
“Price Schedule” means the then current version of
NOA’s schedule of purchase prices and minimum order
quantities for the Licensed Products.
2.18
“Printed Materials” means a plastic disc storage case,
title page, instruction booklet, warranty card and poster
incorporating the Artwork
2.19
“Promotional Disc(s)” means custom optical discs
compatible with Wii that incorporate select game promotional or
supplemental materials, as may be specified or permitted in
the Guidelines.
2.20
“Proprietary Rights” means any rights or applications
for rights owned, licensed or otherwise held in patents,
trademarks, service marks, copyrights, mask works, trade secrets,
trade dress, moral rights and publicity rights, together with all
inventions, discoveries, ideas, technology, know-how, data,
information, processes, formulas, drawings and designs, licenses,
computer programs, software source code and object code, and all
amendments, modifications, and improvements thereto for which such
patent, trademark, service mark, copyright mask work, trade
secrets, trade dress, moral rights or publicity rights
may exist or may be sought and obtained in the
future.
2.21
“Rebate Program” means any then current version of
NOA’s optional rebate program, establishing select terms for
price rebates under this Agreement.
2.22
“Reverse Engineer(ing)” means, without limitation,
(a) the x-ray, electronic scanning or physical or chemical
stripping of semiconductor components, (b) the disassembly,
decompilation, decryption or simulation of object code or
executable code, or (c) any other technique designed to
extract source code or facilitate the duplication of a program or
product.
2.23
“Security Technology” means the highly proprietary
security features incorporated by Nintendo into the Licensed
Products to minimize the risk of unlawful copying and other
unauthorized or unsafe usage, including, without limitation, any
security signature, bios, data scrambling, password, hardware
security apparatus, watermark, hologram, encryption, digital rights
management system, copyright management information system,
proprietary manufacturing process or any feature which obstructs
piracy, limits unlawful, unsafe or unauthorized use or facilitates
or limits compatibility with other hardware or software outside of
the Territory or on a different video game system.
2.24
“Term” means three (3) years from the Effective
Date.
2.25
“Territory” means all countries within the Western
Hemisphere and their respective territories and possessions.
2.26
“Wii Network Services” means and includes the Wii Shop
Channel Services, WiiConnect24, and any related services and
material delivered to a consumer’s Wii console over the
Internet.
3.
GRANT OF LICENSE; LICENSEE RESTRICTIONS
3.1
Limited License Grant . For the Term and for the Territory,
NOA grants to LICENSEE a nonexclusive, nontransferable, limited
license to use the Intellectual Property Rights to develop (or have
developed on their behalf) Games for manufacture, advertising,
marketing and sale by LICENSEE as Licensed Products, subject to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement. Except as permitted under a
separate written authorization from Nintendo, LICENSEE shall not
use the Intellectual Property Rights for any other purpose.
3.2
LICENSEE Acknowledgement . LICENSEE acknowledges
(a) the valuable nature of the Intellectual Property
Rights, (b) the right, title and interest of Nintendo in
and to the Intellectual Property Rights, and (c) the right,
title, and interest of Nintendo in and to the Proprietary Rights
associated with all aspects of Wii. LICENSEE recognizes that the
**** Games, Game Discs and Licensed Products will embody valuable
rights of Nintendo and Nintendo’s licensors. LICENSEE
represents and warrants that it will not **** undertake any act or
thing which in any way impairs or is intended to impair any
part of the right, title, interest or goodwill of Nintendo in
the Intellectual Property Rights. LICENSEE’s use of the
Intellectual Property Rights shall not create any right, title or
interest of LICENSEE therein. **** Licensee is authorized and
permitted to develop Games, and have manufactured, advertise,
market, and sell Licensed Products, only for play on Wii and only
in accordance with this Agreement. ****
3.3
LICENSEE Restrictions and Prohibitions . LICENSEE is not
licensed to and covenants that, without the express, written
consent of NOA, it will not at any time, directly or indirectly, do
or cause to be done any of the following:
(a)
grant access to, distribute, transmit or broadcast a Game by
electronic means or by any other means known or hereafter devised,
including, without limitation, by wireless, cable, fiber optic,
telephone lines, microwave, radiowave, computer or other device
network, except (a) as a part of wireless Game play on
and among Wii systems, or between Wii and Nintendo DS systems
(b) for the purpose of facilitating Game development under the
terms of this Agreement, or (c) as otherwise approved in
writing by Nintendo. LICENSEE shall use reasonable security
measures, customary within the high technology industry, to reduce
the risk of unauthorized interception or retransmission of any Game
transmission. No right of retransmission shall attach to any
authorized transmission of a Game;
*
Confidential portion omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
(b)
authorize or permit any online activities involving a Game,
including, without limitation, multiplayer, peer-to-peer or online
play, except as expressly permitted by Nintendo;
(c)
modify, install or operate a Game on any server or computing device
for the purpose of or resulting in the rental, lease, loan or other
grant of remote access to the Game;
(d)
emulate, interoperate, interface or link a Game for operation or
use with any hardware or software platform, accessory, computer
language, computer environment, chip instruction set, consumer
electronics device or device other than Wii, the Nintendo DS
system, the Development Tools or such other Nintendo system as NOA
may authorize in the Guidelines;
(e)
embed, incorporate, or store a Game in any media or format except
the optical disc format utilized by Wii, except as may be
necessary as a part of the Game development process under this
Agreement;
(f)
design, implement or undertake any process, procedure, program or
act designed to disable, obstruct, circumvent or otherwise diminish
the effectiveness or operation of the Security Technology;
(g)
utilize the Intellectual Property Rights to design or develop any
interactive video game program, except as authorized under this
Agreement;
(h)
manufacture or reproduce a Game developed under this Agreement,
except through Nintendo; or
(i)
Reverse Engineer or assist in Reverse Engineering all or any
part of Wii, including the hardware, software (embedded or
not) or the Security Technology.
****
3.4
No Free-Riding; No Co-Publishing Arrangements . To protect
Nintendo’s valuable Intellectual Property Rights, to prevent
the dilution of Nintendo’s trademarks and to preclude
free-riding by third parties on the goodwill associated with
Nintendo’s trademarks, the license granted under this
Agreement is limited to LICENSEE and may not be delegated or
contracted out for the benefit of a third party, or to a division,
affiliate, or subsidiary of LICENSEE. This Agreement, together with
all submissions, representations, undertakings and approvals
contemplated of LICENSEE by this Agreement, is and shall remain the
right and obligation only of LICENSEE. All Printed Materials and
Marketing Materials for a Game shall prominently and accurately
identify LICENSEE as NOA’s licensee. NOA does not permit the
designation or identification of any third party co-publisher for a
Game on any Licensed Product, Game Disc or Game Disc label Artwork,
however, LICENSEE may identify a third party as a
co-publisher, licensor, developer or other partner of LICENSEE in
those Printed Materials (other than the Game Disc label), Marketing
Materials or Game credits, as authorized under the Guidelines. For
purposes of clarification, LICENSEE’s name, or logo, will
appear on the Licensed Product Game Disc case and Game Disc label
as it appears in the preamble of this Agreement.
3.5
Nintendo Development Tools . NOA and Nintendo Co., Ltd.
may lease, loan or sell Development Tools to LICENSEE to
assist in the development of Games under this Agreement. Ownership
and use of any Development Tools provided to LICENSEE by Nintendo
shall be subject to the terms of this Agreement and any separate
license or purchase agreement required by Nintendo. LICENSEE
acknowledges the exclusive interest of Nintendo in and to the
Proprietary Rights associated with the Development Tools.
LICENSEE’s use of the Development Tools shall not create any
right, title or interest of LICENSEE therein. LICENSEE shall not,
directly or indirectly, (a) use the Development Tools for any
purpose except the design and development of Games under this
Agreement, (b) reproduce or create derivatives of the
Development Tools, except in association with the development of
Games
*
Confidential portion omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
under this Agreement,
(c) Reverse Engineer the Development Tools, or (d) ****
sell, lease, assign, lend, license, encumber or otherwise transfer
the Development Tools. Any tools developed or derived by LICENSEE
as a result of a study of the performance, design or operation of
the Development Tools shall be considered a derivative work of the
Intellectual Property Rights and shall belong to Nintendo, but
may be retained and utilized by LICENSEE in connection with
this Agreement. In no event shall LICENSEE (i) seek, claim or
file for any patent, copyright or other Proprietary Right with
regard to any such derivative work, (ii) make available any
such derivative work to any third party, or (iii) use any such
derivative work except in connection with the design and
development of Games under this Agreement.
3.6
Third Party Developers. LICENSEE shall not disclose the
Confidential Information, the Guidelines or the Intellectual
Property Rights to any Independent Contractor, nor permit any
Independent Contractor to perform or assist in development
work for a Game, unless and until such Independent Contractor has
signed a confidentiality agreement with LICENSEE that is no less
restrictive than the terms of Section 8 below, and that
expressly includes the following language:
“Independent Contractor
may have access to highly-confidential and proprietary
information, intellectual property, and trade secrets of Nintendo
Co., Ltd. and/or Nintendo of America Inc. (collectively,
“Nintendo”). Independent Contractor expressly
acknowledges (i) the valuable nature of such materials; and
(ii) Nintendo’s right, title and interest in such
materials. All such materials constitute confidential information
under this agreement and shall be treated by Independent Contractor
as such. Independent Contractor shall not undertake any act or
thing which in any way impairs or is intended to impair any
part of the right, title, interest or goodwill of Nintendo in
such materials. Independent Contractor’s use of such
materials shall not create any right, title or interest of
Independent Contractor therein. Nintendo Co., Ltd. and Nintendo of
America Inc. are intended third-party beneficiaries of this
agreement.”
LICENSEE shall, upon
**** request by NOA, provide NOA with copies of the confidentiality
agreements required by this Section. Notwithstanding any such
confidentiality agreement, LICENSEE shall remain fully responsible
for, and shall hold NOA and Nintendo Co., Ltd. harmless against,
any breach of the confidentiality agreement by any Independent
Contractor involving any Confidential Information, Guidelines, or
Intellectual Property Rights.
3.7
Third Party Development Tools . NOA and Nintendo Co., Ltd.
may authorize third parties to develop and market Development
Tools to authorized developers of Games. Notwithstanding any
referral or information provided or posted regarding such
Development Tools, NOA and Nintendo Co., Ltd. make no
representations or warranties with regard to any such third party
Development Tools. LICENSEE acquires and utilizes such Development
Tools at its own risk. LICENSEE shall not, directly or indirectly,
use such Development Tools for any purpose except the design and
development of Games under this Agreement. All Nintendo Proprietary
Rights contained in or derived from such Development Tools shall
remain owned by Nintendo.
3.8
Games Developed for Linked Play on Two Systems . In the
event the Guidelines permit LICENSEE to develop a Game for
simultaneous or linked play on Wii and on another Nintendo video
game system, LICENSEE shall be required to acquire and maintain
with NOA such additional licenses as are necessary for the use of
the Proprietary Rights associated with such other Nintendo video
game system.
3.9
In Game Advertising. LICENSEE shall not include advertising
or product placements for products or services of third parties,
whether in the Game, as separate content on a Game Disc (e.g.,
a
*
Confidential portion omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
trailer), or in the
Printed Materials without Nintendo’s prior written consent
****.
3.10
Use of Mii Characters. LICENSEE shall not develop any Game
that permits Nintendo’s Mii characters to appear in the Game
without NOA’s prior, written consent.
3.11
Sending Data to Consumers. LICENSEE shall not, without the
prior, written consent of NOA, send any data, content, messages,
advertising, or other communications of any kind to any
consumer’s Wii console through the Wii Network Services or
otherwise.
3.12
Downloadable Content. If LICENSEE desires to develop Games,
or updates/additions of any kind for any Licensed Product, to be
downloaded to consumers through the Wii Network Services, the terms
and conditions of such development shall be separately agreed in
writing between the parties. LICENSEE acknowledges that the rights
granted herein do not include the right to use the Intellectual
Property Rights to develop downloadable content.
4.
SUBMISSION AND APPROVAL OF GAME AND ARTWORK
4.1
Submission of a Completed Game to NOA . Upon completion of a
Game, LICENSEE shall deliver a prototype of the Game to NOA in a
format specified in the Guidelines. Delivery shall be made in
accordance with the methods approved in the Guidelines. Each
Submission shall include such other information or documentation
deemed necessary by NOA, including, without limitation, a complete
set of written user instructions, a complete description of any
security holes, backdoors, time bombs, cheats, “easter
eggs” or other hidden features or characters in the Game ****
and a complete screen text script. LICENSEE must establish that the
Game and any other content included on the Game Disc complies with
the Advertising Code of Conduct of the Entertainment Software
Ratings Board (“ESRB”) and that the Game has been rated
EC, E, E10+, T or M (or another non-Adult Only category added by
the ESRB) by the ESRB. LICENSEE shall provide NOA with a
certificate of rating for the Game issued by the ESRB.
4.2
Testing of a Completed Game . Upon submission of a completed
Game, NOA and Nintendo Co., Ltd. shall promptly test the Game with
regard to its technical compatibility with and error-free operation
on Wii utilizing the lot check process. Within a reasonable period
of time after receipt, NOA shall approve or disapprove such Game
****. If a Game is disapproved, NOA shall specify in writing the
reasons for such disapproval and state what corrections are
necessary ****. After making the necessary corrections, LICENSEE
shall submit a revised Game to NOA for testing. NOA shall not
unreasonably withhold or delay its approval of any Game. Neither
the testing nor approval of a Game by NOA or Nintendo Co., Ltd.
shall relieve LICENSEE of its sole responsibility for the
development, quality and operation of the Game or in any way create
any warranty by NOA or Nintendo Co., Ltd. relating to any Licensed
Product.
4.3
Production of Check Discs . By submission of a completed
Game to NOA in accordance with section 4.1, LICENSEE
authorizes Nintendo to proceed with production of Check Discs for
such Game. If NOA approves a Game, it shall promptly, and without
further notification to or instruction from LICENSEE, submit such
Game for the production of Check Discs. Unless otherwise advised by
LICENSEE, following production of the Check Discs, NOA shall
deliver to LICENSEE approximately ten (10) Check Discs for
content verification, testing and final approval by LICENSEE.
4.4
Approval or Disapproval of Check Discs by LICENSEE . If,
after review and testing, LICENSEE approves the Check Discs, it
shall promptly transmit to NOA a signed authorization for
production in the form specified in the Guidelines. If
LICENSEE does not approve the sample Check Discs for any reason,
LICENSEE shall advise NOA in writing and may, after undertaking any
necessary changes or corrections, resubmit the Game to NOA for
approval in accordance with the procedures set forth in this
Section 4. The absence of a signed authorization
form from LICENSEE within five (5) days after delivery of
the Check Discs to LICENSEE shall be deemed disapproval of such
Check Discs.
*
Confidential portion omitted and filed separately with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
Production of any order
for Bulk Goods shall not proceed without LICENSEE’s signed
authorization.
4.5
Cost of Check Discs and Disc Stamper . If LICENSEE:
(a) disapproves the Check Discs for any reason; (b) fails
to order the minimum order quantity of any Game approved by NOA
within six (6) months after the date the Game was first
approved by NOA; or (c) submits a revised version of the Game
to NOA after production of such Game has commenced, LICENSEE shall
reimburse NOA (or its designee) for the reasonable estimated cost
of the production of the Check Discs, including the cost of the
disc stamper. The payment will be due (i) thirty (30) days
after NOA’s written notification to LICENSEE of the Check
Disc fee due NOA because of LICENSEE’s failure to approve
such Check Disc; (ii) six (6) months after the date the
Game was first approved by NOA; or (iii) upon the subsequent
submission by LICENSEE of a revised version of the Game to NOA, as
the case may be.
4.6
Submission and Approval of Artwork . Prior to submitting a
completed Game to NOA under Section 4.1, LICENSEE shall submit
to NOA all Artwork for the proposed Licensed Product. Within ten
(10) business days of receipt, NOA shall approve or disapprove
the Artwork ****. If any Artwork is disapproved, NOA shall specify
in writing the reasons for such disapproval and state what
corrections or improvements are necessary ****. After making the
necessary corrections or improvements, LICENSEE shall submit
revised Artwork to NOA for approval. NOA shall not unreasonably
withhold or delay its approval of any Artwork. The approval of the
Artwork by NOA shall not relieve LICENSEE of its sole
responsibility for the development and quality of the Artwork or in
any way create any warranty for the Artwork or the Licensed Product
by NOA. All Artwork must be approved prior to submitting an order
for the Bulk Goods, and LICENSEE shall not produce any Printed
Materials for commercial distribution until such Artwork has been
approved by NOA.
4.7
Promotional Discs . In the event NOA issues Guidelines in
the future that permit LICENSEE to develop and distribute
Promotional Discs, either separately or as a part of the
Licensed Product, the content and specifications of such
Promotional Disc shall be subject to all of the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, including, without limit
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