Dota 3 Trademark Quietly Abandoned by Valve

[Josh Engen]

Dota 3 Trademark Quietly Abandoned by Valve

After retaining ownership for several years, Valve has abandoned the Dota 3 trademark.

Back in 2010, Valve simultaneously registered a pair of trademarks for its stand-alone sequel to Defense of the Ancients, a popular Warcraft III mod. One of those trademarks, Dota 2, would eventually become the hero brawler that nearly 700,000 people play every day. But the other, Dota 3, never materialized.

Now, the United States Patent and Trademark Office classifies Dota 3 as "abandoned because no Statement of Use or Extension Request timely filed after Notice of Allowance was issued." The trademark expired in October.

To be fair, Dota 2 has only been on the market for about a year, so it's probably too early to think about a sequel. Valve only releases about one game per year and currently has its hands full with J.J. Abrams collaboration [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128065-Valve-Reveals-SteamOS].

This doesn't mean that Valve couldn't reacquire the trademark at some point in the future, just that Team Newell isn't planning a Dota sequel anytime soon.

Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office [http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=85121946&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch]

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[erbkaiser]

Am I in time to make the pun Valve cannot count to 3, so this was to be expected?

Not surprising in the least. The last thing they should do now is split the community, like what happened when they released L4D2.

 

[dragongit]

Well... Dota 2 hasn't exactly been finished yet anyway. It still has a few characters left to implement. It's been officially released but it isn't technically done. But this will definitely add fuel to the "Valve hates the number 3" meme.

 

[The White Hunter]

Half Life 3 confirmed?

Seriously though meh. MOBA's aren't my thing at all. Don't even do PVP in MMO's .___. prefer fps's for my multiplayer fix since brutal vengeance is often a more visceral thing.

 

[Atmos Duality]

Given Valve Time, it's just a waste of money anyway.

Half Life 3 confirmed?

...Confirmed to still not exist, yes.

 

[The White Hunter]

Given Valve Time, it's just a waste of money anyway.

Half Life 3 confirmed?

...Confirmed to still not exist, yes.

Just the confirmation I was waiting for!

 

[karma9308]

Is it wrong that I laughed upon seeing the headline, since my first thought was "Valve cannot count to 3-CONFIRMED"?

 

[TiberiusEsuriens]

I wouldn't read into it too much. I don't see why DotA 3 ever should have existed - with the adoption of pseudo F2P, any new additions already have a smoothish way to enter the existing model.

 

[EndlessSporadic]

It wouldn't surprise me if they skipped right to DOTA 4 out of spite.

 

[Vigormortis]

Valve only releases about one game per year and currently has its hands full with J.J. Abrams collaboration [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128065-Valve-Reveals-SteamOS].

Only?

At least one (quality) high-profile game a year from a studio of roughly three hundred employees[footnote]Not all of whom even participate in a games design.[/footnote] is a hell of a fast release schedule. You rarely see that outside of shovelware and mobile dev studios.

But anyway, this news isn't surprising in the least. Dota 2's only just gone full public/global release. There's still a lot of planned and potential content to come. Not to mention it being an absolute money-making machine in the same vein as Team Fortress 2 and a massive draw for esports participation and viewership.

And given that Valve is unlikely to make a Team Fortress 3 any time soon I think it's safe to assume the same can be said of Dota 3.

Is it wrong that I laughed upon seeing the headline, since my first thought was "Valve cannot count to 3-CONFIRMED"?

If it is, I don't want to be right.

 

[Ferisar]

Valve only releases about one game per year and currently has its hands full with J.J. Abrams collaboration [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/128065-Valve-Reveals-SteamOS].

Only?

At least one (quality) high-profile game a year from a studio of roughly three hundred employees[footnote]Not all of whom even participate in a games design.[/footnote] is a hell of a fast release schedule. You rarely see that outside of shovelware and mobile dev studios.

It's not that odd to have that opinion of Valve as a game's developer, mostly because the general perception of them is their focus being entirely on Steam and distribution-related development. There doesn't need to be truth behind this sentiment for it to exist, though. Valve's just not a development body in the public eye, at least not a big one, which is fine since they pretty much own PC gaming right now.

 

[Vigormortis]

It's not that odd to have that opinion of Valve as a game's developer, mostly because the general perception is their focus being entirely on Steam and distribution-related development. The truth of this sentiment doesn't really have to be true for it to exist, though. Valve's just not a development body, at least not a big one, which is fine since they pretty much own PC gaming right now.

I would think it would be even more odd to hold that opinion if one thinks of them as a game development studio and a general software/platform/hardware developer.

The fact that they tackle so many projects and infrastructure building, while churning out at least one game a year, is pretty impressive - regardless of ones opinions on the games themselves.

That's all I was getting at.

 

[NuclearKangaroo]

>Valve
>number 3


hahahahahahahaha! not gonna happen

 

[Ferisar]

It's not that odd to have that opinion of Valve as a game's developer, mostly because the general perception is their focus being entirely on Steam and distribution-related development. The truth of this sentiment doesn't really have to be true for it to exist, though. Valve's just not a development body, at least not a big one, which is fine since they pretty much own PC gaming right now.

I would think it would be even more odd to hold that opinion if one thinks of them as a game development studio and a general software/platform/hardware developer.

The fact that they tackle so many projects and infrastructure building, while churning out at least one game a year, is pretty impressive - regardless of ones opinions on the games themselves.

That's all I was getting at.

Agreed, but them being both makes some perceive their release schedule as being scarce despite it not being true. Then again, their promo material doesn't seem to be nearly as overexposed, so maybe that's why. Either way, I guess I meant to say that the platforms-side Valve is so dominant that it's easy to forget they make games, too. Not really trying to judge what they produce x)

 

[Undomesticated Equine]

Not big surprise. Everybody knows that Valve can't count to 3.

 

[L34dP1LL]

Is it wrong that I laughed upon seeing the headline, since my first thought was "Valve cannot count to 3-CONFIRMED"?

It's exactly what I thought.

 

[Vigormortis]

Agreed, but them being both makes some perceive their release schedule as being scarce despite it not being true. Then again, their promo material doesn't seem to be nearly as overexposed, so maybe that's why. Either way, I guess I meant to say that the platforms-side Valve is so dominant that it's easy to forget they make games, too. Not really trying to judge what they produce x)

I 'spose. It's always seemed odd to me.

And you are right about their promo material not seeing an overabundance of exposure. Though, the odd thing is that their products generally don't need that exposure to do well.

It's a rare anomaly within the industry few other devs share, sadly. One I wish was more common, as it would mean far fewer awkward ad campaigns. Like, say, EA's efforts over the past few years...

<.<

 

[Strazdas]

Well, they can keep DOTA 2 alive for as long as they want. its an evolving MMO, so it does not need a sequel. the only reason original DOTA needed one was that it was just a mod for another game and not in Valve control.

Am I in time to make the pun Valve cannot count to 3, so this was to be expected?

ninjad by the very first post. what is this

Seriously though meh. MOBA's aren't my thing at all. Don't even do PVP in MMO's .___. prefer fps's for my multiplayer fix since brutal vengeance is often a more visceral thing.

Im the same. i tried MOBAs and got dissapointed. I always choose the industrialist/PVE roles in MMOS and only really go PVP in FPS style games. Its not about vengeance for me, but rather outsmarting the opponent.

 

[Lamnidae]

DotA 2 doesn't need to be done again since it's infinite.
All they can do is improve visuals, add extra heroes and items.
And maybe even more maps and gametypes...
Dota 2 is a game that's nearly perfect.
No need for a sequel... ^_^