Mojang Offered Up Scrolls Trademark, Bethsoft Said "No"

[rda_Highlander]

What did you expect from a company that trolls consumers with their releases?

What do you expect from company that made it's whole profit from one non-complete game?

 

[Grandpappyduplenty]

I can't work out why the devs at bethesda haven't stood up to their legal dept and said NO. solidarity with their fellow developers? they both innovate (i hate that word, i work in chemistry/plastics journalism, and it's endlessly overused... who ever called a new grip for a mould 'innovative'? anyway.) and create worlds, no matter how different those worlds may or may not be. i'm amazed anyone at bethesda is putting up with this - Todd Howard at least should make a statement of some kind.

 

[shrekfan246]

Two words: Tim Langdell.

Three words: humiliated in court.

Well I didn't say he was a shining example of humility and human decency. He's had legitimate (if rather stupid) lawsuits based on his trademark of the word "Edge", regardless of whether he won or not, and that's what this entire thing makes me think of.

If Notch really offered to drop his trademark application and append his game title, Bethesda don't have a very stable legal leg to stand on anymore because suing over the use of one word doesn't usually hold up in court by itself (as with Tim Langdell cases). They at least had a case when there was fear of Notch using his trademark to sue them for "The Elder Scrolls", but either way it's a rather stupid case and giving Bethesda unneeded bad press because of how much sympathy Notch is trying to garner from the public.

 

[Woodsey]

Two words: Tim Langdell.

Three words: humiliated in court.

Well I didn't say he was a shining example of humility and human decency. He's had legitimate (if rather stupid) lawsuits based on his trademark of the word "Edge", regardless of whether he won or not, and that's what this entire thing makes me think of.

I don't think he's ever won - and if he did it must have been towards the start of when he started pulling that shit.

The last judge seemed to stop just short of calling him a **** and telling him to fuck off.

 

[SageRuffin]

There has to be more to this story then what we know.

Agreed. There's no way in hell this is the whole story, and I doubt that it'll culminate before the court hearing itself.

Either way, I say fuck all this. I'm still planning on getting Skyrim, and I'm gonna fucking enjoy it. I've been ritualistically avoiding all news about it so that when I play the game, I'll be pleasantly surprised (or appalled) by the changes and upgrades.

 

[Sewer Rat]

Just putting it out there that I have created a boycott page on facebook, as personally I feel strongly about this and from what I've seen a lot of members here do as well. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Skyrim-unless-Bethesda-drops-its-case-against-Mojang/203134483090725?v=wall
Personally, I just cannot support bethesda if they do end up bringing this to court. And save the "oh no, they lost one customer" comments, I am aware that I alone cannot make a dent in Bethesda's profits, but I personally feel something like this merits a mass boycott.

 

[I.N.producer]

I'm no lawyer, but the thing that bugs me with this is, how could Mojang possibly sue Bethesda for using Scrolls. That seems to be the whole motivation for Bethesda's actions to this point.

Bethesda has a pre-existing trademark on "Elder Scrolls." It just seems illogical that Bethesda would need to defend their trademark here. You would think that "Scrolls" and "Elder Scrolls" both being recognized as trademarks would make litigation irrelevant.

Although it is pretty stupid that Mojang's application covers so many different mediums. Kind of an aggressive and overly ambitious application. Almost like he was planning on making tons of merchandise, tv shows, movies, etc. in addition to the game.

 

[shrekfan246]

I don't think he's ever won - and if he did it must have been towards the start of when he started pulling that shit.

The last judge seemed to stop just short of calling him a **** and telling him to fuck off.

Oh, trust me, I'm not defending him. I'm just citing him as a precedent for this whole . . . thing.

I can't see that Bethesda would win this lawsuit, but then based on Langdell's history I can't say they would have much to worry about, either. They do need to protect their trademark, but I can't honestly believe that Notch would win a lawsuit against them for their games being titled "The Elder Scrolls", especially since the franchise predates his company even existing.

 

[Woodsey]

Three words: humiliated in court.

This guy was a bad example but there are lots of examples what Notch could've done with "Scrolls" as trademark. Like stopping the release of "The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim"...

Trenched is an example what can happen if someone else has a part of your title as trademark and I don't believe that Notch is such an angel that he would have not tried to eliminate the competition. Right now he is doing a good job with it and his stupid "Trademark" publicity game.

People at that level are just gamers who like making games. He's probably going to be buying Skyrim, not trying to block its bloody release.

And evidently the copyrighting system needs to be redone then if someone can trademark a noun and then retroactively sue someone for continuing to use it like they have done for the past 15 or so years.

Still seems stupid to me. Star Trek and Star Wars got along just fine and you're more likely to mix those up then you are Skyrim and a bloody trading-card game from an indie dev.

 

[mrsuperunderpants]

What gets me is Bethesda are suing Majong over the name scrolls because they didn't want people to get mixed up and not buy Skyrim, but it seems to me that they will lose more sales now because of this anyhow. Silly Silly Bethesda

No, they are going against the trademark "Scrolls". If Mojang would get this trademark it would fuck Zeni/Bethesda so hard simply because they have the word "Scrolls" in several games (And yeah, you may call them "Morrowind" or "Oblivion" but the full titles are always with "The Elder Scrolls: [Banasandwich]".

Yes, silly silly Zenimax who wants to stop such things. Because Mojang are Jesus and would NEEEEVER sue Zenimax/Bethesda over Scrolls if they would have the trademark.

Please, stop blindly believing what ONE side is tellung you.

Dude chill, I'm no Minecraft fan boy, but suing someone over a word that would never ever be confused with the other is down right ridiculous. Just stating my opinion bro.

 

[EHKOS]

Bethesda....please I love you don't do this. Maybe the cool people like the president and CEO are too busy playing Minecraft to notice their lawyers being douchebags! YEAH! I'mma go with that.

 

[EHKOS]

Dude chill, I'm no Minecraft fan boy, but suing someone over a word that would never ever be confused with the other is down right ridiculous. Just stating my opinion bro.

But it still happens all the time! It has jack s*** to do with opinion.

Yeah, remember when Apple tried to trademark the word "Pod" ?! That was insanity.

 

[Zero47]

No, Notch and Mojang are not just gamers. They are a company, they are making PR with this BS and I would not bet on Notch beeing nice enough not to try to screw Bethesda over after he would have got his trademark.

Why? Because he is a bastard who mislead the people from the beginning of this case. And everything the trademark would apply is not reasonable, not even in the slightest.

But you still believe that Notch is the second coming of Jesus, that Mojang is somehow better than any other moneyhungry company and that this case has something to do with "mixing up those two titles". No, Bethesda is just protecting themselfes from any lawsuits which had followed this trademark application.

Do you honestly consider Notch getting a copyright for Scrolls was some kind of ploy to sue Bethesda? Do you honestly think a company like Notch's stands a chance against Bethesda on a vague copyright claim like this? He'd be throwing his money away by making that sue, heck there's no way Bethesda can win this, now imagine Notch in that position with less expensive lawyers and relatively more to lose.

 

[Woodsey]

People at that level are just gamers who like making games. He's probably going to be buying Skyrim, not trying to block its bloody release.

And evidently the copyrighting system needs to be redone then if someone can trademark a noun and then retroactively sue someone for continuing to use it like they have done for the past 15 or so years.

Still seems stupid to me. Star Trek and Star Wars got along just fine and you're more likely to mix those up then you are Skyrim and a bloody trading-card game from an indie dev.

No, Notch and Mojang are not just gamers. They are a company, they are making PR with this BS and I would not bet on Notch beeing nice enough not to try to screw Bethesda over after he would have got his trademark.

Why? Because he is a bastard who mislead the people from the beginning of this case. And everything the trademark would apply is not reasonable, not even in the slightest.

But you still believe that Notch is the second coming of Jesus, that Mojang is somehow better than any other moneyhungry company and that this case has something to do with "mixing up those two titles". No, Bethesda is just protecting themselfes from any lawsuits which had followed this trademark application.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, I don't take any side on this. I just can't stand people blindly believing everything Notch says even after people found out what his simple trademark registration could mean for Bethesda.

"But you still believe that Notch is the second coming of Jesus"

I would seriously suggest wanking some more - if you blow your fucking load that quickly over virtually nothing then you must have terrible trouble with girls.

It wouldn't mean shit for Bethesda. And assuming a company that's just started automatically enters "ruthless money maker mode" is retarded. These are (currently nine) people who want to make games and have been lucky enough to be able to make money off of it.

 

[romanator0]

Do you honestly consider Notch getting a copyright for Scrolls was some kind of ploy to sue Bethesda? Do you honestly think a company like Notch's stands a chance against Bethesda on a vague copyright claim like this? He'd be throwing his money away by making that sue, heck there's no way Bethesda can win this, now imagine Notch in that position with less expensive lawyers and relatively more to lose.

You know what? I don't believe this simply because I don't know all the facts. I don't have the knowledge of copyright laws needed to understand what he could achieve with the trademark, the only thing I know is that he could stop Skyrim from getting sold. Yes, he could do that. He would not win but Bethesda would still lose a load of moneay on this.

Also, since it is only Notch / Mojang doing the talking I will not take any side until I know clear facts. I don't believe a word Notch says simply because he tries to put himself on the "good" side here. And when you look at the reactions he seems to be pretty succesful.

I see this whole action as a PR action from Mojang against Zenimax / Bethesda. Since the start he is joking, putting those information on the internet he wants people to know (since most readers won't take the time to look up what his trademark would apply to) and playing with the whole community.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/trenched-blocked-by-board-game-trademark/03015

You refuse to believe what Notch is saying and claim to not be taking sides so you decide to assume that everything Notch has said is to purposely mislead into sympathizing with him? Sounds a bit like you're siding with Zenimax/Bethesda simply because you think Notch is being purposely misleading.

 

[mrsuperunderpants]

Dude chill, I'm no Minecraft fan boy, but suing someone over a word that would never ever be confused with the other is down right ridiculous. Just stating my opinion bro.

But it still happens all the time! It has jack s*** to do with opinion.

Dude we are in a forum it's all about people's opinions, that's kinda the point of a forum.