Fri, Aug 17, 2012 | 05:15 BST
Rebellion files trademark infringement suit against Stardock
Oxford developer Rebellion, best known for Sniper Elite and Alien vs Predator, has filed suit against Stardock and Ironclad, claiming trademark infringement. Gamasutra reports the crux of the matter is the new Sins of a Solar Empire expansion, which also rejoices in the name of Rebellion. Don’t go firing off angry letters just yet; as we learned in the Bethesda vs Mojang case, trademark holders are forced to engage in these kinds of battles or risk losing trademarks, and it may all be settled amicably. SoaSE: Rebellion released in June and has garnered positive reviews.
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Posted in: Legalities
Tags: ironclad, Ironclad Games, rebellion, Rebellion Development, Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, Sinsof a Solar Empire, Stardock
5 comments
#1
DSB
17/08/12, 1:49 am
But if the law is so poorly written that it continues to provoke frivolous lawsuits, why isn’t anyone changing it?
Seems to me like it would be a chance for the ESA to rally on an issue that doesn’t make them look like abject assholes, for once.
#2
Brenna Hillier
17/08/12, 5:16 am
I’ve updated this because I erroneously described the case as a copyright infringement issue, which it … isn’t.
#3
GrimRita
17/08/12, 8:12 am
Oh man. Well maybe ‘Rebellion’ should be careful because if they think they have a claim against Ironclad, then that will open the door for George Lucas and LucasArts against them because they launched Star Wars: Rebellion back in 1998.
#4
Old MacDonald
17/08/12, 8:38 am
“as we learned in the Bethesda vs Mojang case, trademark holders are forced to engage in these kinds of battles or risk losing trademark”
Well, no. Didn’t you learn anything from the Edge vs Everyone-case?
#5
Vincent
17/08/12, 10:28 am
@3 Star Wars: Rebellion was actually released as Star Wars: Supremacy in the UK, presumably for this very reason.