Unravel trademark application refused by United States Patent Office

A bit of an issue has popped up for Electronic Arts, as its trademark application for Unravel has been denied by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

According to the government body, the name Unravel is too similar to that of a board game created by SimplyFun called Beary's Unravel.

The game tasks players with tracing a string from one end of the game board to the other. These will intertwine, and force the players to look further into the continuity of the string, according to Game Watcher.

USPTO documents dug up by NeoGAF seem to indicate EA may have to change the name of Unravel, or possibly add a subtitle in order for the trademark to pass.

Either way, the denial by the USPTO has caused EA to abandon the trademark, so a new title for the game will probably be announced rather soon. Unless things can be worked out.

Unravel is a puzzle-platformer releasing digitally on current-gen consoles and PC February 9, and features a cutie made out of yarn.

Thanks, Jamie.