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Square Enix Trademarks Hitman: Profession… the Next in the Series?

Catherine Cai — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:42:43 +0000

Apparently, Square Enix filed to trademark Hitman: Profession just a few days back. The screen capture of the trademark filing is available here:

Does this mean that Square Enix already has the next Hitman in the series lined up after Absolution? It’s not surprising, considering that back in November, Square Enix announced that they were opening a new development studio in Montreal, whose first title they already confirmed was to be a Hitman title.

Just my two cents, SquEnix, I’m glad to see you’re so enthusiastic about the Hitman series, but Hitman: Profession is a little lame for a series with bad ass subtitles like Silent Assassin and Blood Money. I hope to god that Profession is just for the working title…

[Via Siliconera]

Dead Island Dev Registers Trademark for “Dead World”

Justin Carter — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:20:29 +0000

It’s only been a little over a month, but Dead Island has quickly become the surprise hit of the fall.

A lot of people are still talking about it, even with the recent releases of Battlefield 3 and Uncharted 3. The stellar reviews (ours among them) combined with shipping over two million copies has given developer Techland the idea that they need to make a sequel, and it looks like they’ve already gotten started.

They’ve recently filed a trademark for “Dead World” in the U.S., and unless they’ve got plans for a zombie theme park, it sounds like the name of a sequel. Techland’s declined to comment or officially announce a sequel, but we’ll let you know as soon as we hear anything.

Legal Saga Between Mojang and Bethesda Over ‘Scrolls’ Trademark Continues

Jensen Walker — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 18:45:52 +0000

Six weeks ago, Markus Persson, better known as Notch, developer of sandbox construction game Minecraft, received a letter from Bethesda’s legal department. In that letter, he was advised that his studio, Mojang, which is currently working on a digital trading card game called Scrolls, was in violation of Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls trademark. Notch acknowledged this on his Twitter account with the following: “Just got a letter from Bethesta’s lawyers. They claim “Scrolls” infringes on their trademark and everyone will confuse it with Skyrim.”

Earlier today, Notch tweeted a follow up to the story, indicating that the Scrolls case would be heading to court. Notch has previously stated that Bethesda’s claim is “bogus,” as consumers were unlikely to confuse his firm’s game with Skyrim or any other Elder Scrolls property. Referring to Bethesda’s letter as “lawyers being lawyers” at the time, Notch jokingly suggested the two firms could settle the dispute via a friendly game of Quake 3. Instead, it looks like they’ll be duking it out in court.

What do you think about the impending legal battle? Does Bethesda have a strong case to make, or is their claim of trademark violation unfounded?

Is Square Enix Gunning For A Rebrand?

Catherine Cai — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 02:18:32 +0000

Square Enix recently applied to trademark everything under “Square”, a name that retains the same publishing rights as “Square Enix.”

See for yourself. WARNING: Wall of text incoming:

“Square” Trademark: Computer game software; video game software; sound recordings in the form of optical discs, magnetic discs and semiconductor ROMs featuring music and fictional stories; audio visual recordings in the form of optical discs, magnetic discs and semiconductor ROMs featuring music and animated fictional stories; prerecorded compact discs featuring music; prerecorded video discs featuring music and animated fictional stories; mouse pads; straps for cellular phones; video game controllers; downloadable musical sound recordings; downloadable ring tones for mobile phones; downloadable wallpaper graphics for mobile phones; downloadable electronic publications in the nature of magazines, journals and newsletters in the field of computer games and video games. Providing on-line computer games; providing on-line video games; providing information on computer game strategies and video game strategies via computer networks and global communication networks; providing information on entertainment in the field of computer games, video games, card games, animated cartoons, comics, novels and magazines; providing on-line non-downloadable comics; providing on-line non-downloadable magazines, journals and newsletters in the field of computer games, video games, cartoons and general entertainment.

Square Enix Trademark: Computer game software; video game software; sound recordings in the form of optical discs, magnetic discs, tapes and semiconductor ROMs featuring music and/or musical entertainment; audiovisual recordings in the form of optical discs, magnetic discs, tapes and semiconductor ROMs featuring music, animation and/or entertainment; prerecorded compact discs featuring music; prerecorded digital video discs featuring music, animation and/or entertainment; prerecorded video cassettes featuring music, animation and/or entertainment; computer software for browsing and navigating through websites on global communication networks; computer software for sending and receiving messages and electronic mail; computer software for personal scheduling; decorative magnets; mouse pads; straps for cellular phones; sunglasses; memory cards; memory card cases; CD cases; computer keyboards; computer and video game joysticks; video game controllers; downloadable computer graphics software, namely, downloadable wallpapers or downloadable screen savers for the screens of computer displays or mobile phone displays; downloadable computer graphic software containing downloadable animated active wallpapers or downloadable animated screen savers for the screens of computer displays or mobile phone displays; downloadable video recordings featuring cartoon characters and/or video game characters; downloadable musical and sound recordings; downloadable game programs; downloadable electronic publications in the nature of magazines, journals, newsletters and manuals in the fields of computer games, video games and general entertainment.

It seems that Square Enix is aiming to move a lot of their video game publishing rights under the “Square” name. Could this be Square Enix’s attempt to take us back to the golden days, when the games we loved and honored with high marks came from team SquareSoft, or “Square?”

Considering the recent prequel/sequel poo-nami that Square Enix has generated, many fans have been unhappy with this titan studio and Square Enix has consequently experienced major financial losses. Did Square Enix really think we’d forgive them for the Final Fantasy XIV cluster fuck so quickly? It’s going to take a lot more than a name change to turn the Square Enix image around. Hopefully the upcoming Deus Ex, Tomb Raider, and Hitman all prove to be good enough to bring something positive along with the rebrand.

Nostalgia’s not enough to win me over. I might’ve fallen for it once upon a time with all of the Final Fantasy VII prequels and sequels, Squeenix, but it’s time for you to get more than just a face lift to make things right. Maybe throw in a boob job and some lipo and we’ll talk.

[Via Dual Pixels]

Bethesda Parent Trademarks New Game ‘Dishonored’

Chris Carlson — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 20:27:39 +0000

Bethesda parent Zenimax Media filed a trademark application for ‘Dishonored’.

ZeniMax Media Inc. have trademarked something called ‘Dishonored’, filed under “Computer game programs”. Below is a list of domains registered in February all by the same person.

DishonoredGame.com
DishonoredGame.net
DishonoredTheGame.com
DishonoredTheGame.net

ZeniMax are a parent company so that doesn’t mean this will be tied to Bethesda directly as they also own id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios along with a few others. What ever this game may be, the name alone sounds interesting enough and gives you the feeling of wanting more.

[Source: SystemLink]

Square Trademarks Hitman: Absolution. E3 Reveal Would Be “Killer”

Dave Oshry — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 20:17:07 +0000

Are you ‘dying’ for some new info on Hitman 5? Well this might ‘stab’ at your interests.

Square Enix has trademarked Hitman: Absolution. So either it’s the name a seriously cool new iPhone game or the title of the fifth installment in the Hitman franchise. We’re going to go ahead and assume it’s the latter. We all know IO Interactive has something in the works for Agent 47, but only time till tell where his twisted tale leads next.

We’re also going to go ahead and assume that we’ll know more about the game at E3 in just over a month. That would be a ‘killer’ time to reveal such a ‘deadly’ sequel.

Ok, that does it for the puns. If I drop any more, they may tear up my ‘contract’

Stay tuned to RipTen for all things Square, IO and Agent 47.

Source: SiliconEra

Oblivion Movie Trademark Filed

Garrett Hartman — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:38:57 +0000

Looks like an Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion motion picture could be in the works. ZeniMax has filed a trademark to create a movie based on Bethesda Softwork’s highly popular role-playing video game.

This trademark is for “motion picture film production and entertainment services”. All indications are that any work on creating an Oblivion Film is in the early development stages and it could take time.

This could be exciting news as the medeval fantasy world created in Oblivion is quite vivid and could make for an interesting setting.

No word on whether Uwe Boll has been contacted.

Source

Rumour: Headstrong’s Secret Game At Leipzig GC – Possibly Jet Grind Radio

Kev Lochun — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:01:19 +0000

Sega has announced its Leipzig GC line-up, and they’re trying to make a song and dance out of Samba De Amigo. More interesting is the promise of the world premiere of a new title and the attendance of Headstrong Games on their booth.

Headstrong, rebranded from Kuju Entertainment at the end of July, is working on an as-yet-undisclosed Wii title for Sega, so it’s a fair bet they are not turning up to Leipzig just to soak up the atmosphere or see how it compares to E3.

So what could it be? Much as I would love it to be another Shenmue, it seems like it might be another Dreamcast classic – Jet Grind Radio. Sega filed this handy trademark, dated 24 July 2008, which gives us hope that they’re returning to the franchise.

They promise we’ll find out for sure before the event. Here’s the rest of their line-up, sadly devoid of any other Dreamcast greats begging for a resurrection:

Samba De Amigo
Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood
Sonic Unleashed
Mario and Sonic at the Olympics Games (well it is that time of year)
Bejing 2008
Dinosaur King
Space Seige
Empire: Total War
Alpha Protocol
Mad World
Bayonetta (follow up to Golden Axe apparently)
Valkyria Chronicles
Stormrise

Resistance 2 Trademarked by SCEA

Derek Matias — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 07:46:31 +0000

You know that game you’ve been working on, with the WWII aliens? Well, if you were planning on calling it Resistance 2, then you’d better think again. Last week Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. filed to trademark the name Resistance 2.

Last month we reported that Resistance 2 was ready for it’s pre-Alpha testing stage. Combined with the trademark information, what does this mean exactly? Just that there is a likely chance for a sequel to Resistance. It does not verify the game exists, but does provide good evidence that Insomniac Games is working on a sequel.

To read the filing visit the US Patent and Trademark Office’s website or check out trademork.com.