intellectual-property licensing
Is the list of character classes from a video game tied to IP?
<p>For instance, the video game Hearthstone has 9 character classes, as seen on their official site. If I reuse these classes on a name generator, or another video game, without changing the names, or the mechanics, am I infringing on their IP?</p>

<p><a href="/questions/tagged/united-states" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;united-states&#39;" rel="tag">united-states</a></p>
<p>Names and short phrases are not subject to copyright protection. A list of such phrases is probably not protectable either. Game mechanics are not protectable either. While short phrases can be protected as trademarks, they can be so protected only if they are used to identify a product or service, or to advertise that product or service. Terms used within the game are not normally subject to trademark protection.</p>
<p>Even if such a term did have trademark protection, using it within the game would not be using it &quot;in commerce&quot; or &quot;in trade&quot;, that is to identify or market the game. A brand name, a slogan, or a logo are typical trademarks, the name of a thing within the product is not.</p>
<p>In short, a list of character classes would not, in the US at least, infringe copyright or trademark protections on another game.</p>
