How much do I have to change a logo from an Video game IP (pokemon go) to create items and sell them?
<p>I'm an entrepreneur who wants to capitalize on the wild success of the mobile game Pokemon Go. There are three teams within the game that have distinctive logos, see the bird icons in the image below. My question is, if I wanted to take those logos and modify them and print those on clothing and other items for sale, would I be able to do so? How could I protect myself from litigation if I wanted to go through with this plan? Would modifying the original icons, or created brand new stylized version of the icons suffice? Would I have to put that this is unlicensed merchandise on my sale page, and would that protect me?</p>

<p><img src="https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcdn0.dailydot.com%2Fuploaded%2Fimages%2Foriginal%2F2016%2F7%2F8%2FPokemonGo_teams.jpg&amp;f=1" alt="pokemon go teams"></p>

<p>There is <em>no such thing</em> as "alter it by X amount and it's legal". If the original can be determined at all, it would fall under derivative work and be an infringement.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/copyright_myths" rel="nofollow">https://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/copyright_myths</a> --
See #6 and #7</p>

<p>And Stanford:
<a href="http://fairuse.stanford.edu/2014/12/22/much-photo-need-alter-avoid-copyright-infringement-hint-cheshire-cat/" rel="nofollow">http://fairuse.stanford.edu/2014/12/22/much-photo-need-alter-avoid-copyright-infringement-hint-cheshire-cat/</a></p>

<p><a href="http://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca7/13-3004/13-3004-2014-09-15.pdf?ts=1411046866" rel="nofollow"> Kienitz v Sconnie Nation</a> </p>

<p>And the well known Shepard Fairy/Hope poster case: <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/shephard-fairey-is-fined-and-sentenced-to-probation-in-hope-poster-case/?_r=0" rel="nofollow">http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/07/shephard-fairey-is-fined-and-sentenced-to-probation-in-hope-poster-case/?_r=0</a></p>

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