Take-Two Interactive, parent company of the popular video game franchise Grand Theft Auto, is embroiled in a trademark dispute with Remedy Entertainment, the developer of the upcoming game Alan Wake 2. In May 2023, Remedy filed trademark claims for two different versions of their logo, both of which were opposed by Take-Two Interactive due to a perceived “likelihood of confusion on the part of the public.” Both claims are currently in a “cooling-off” phase, giving Remedy until May to file a counterstatement in opposition.
The new Remedy Entertainment logo was revealed in April 2023 and was designed to reflect the company’s growth and evolution since its founding in 1995. The studio has worked on a wide range of games over the years and the new logo aimed to better showcase this diversity. Ironically, the dispute with Take-Two Interactive has arisen despite Remedy having announced in 2022 that it was working on remakes of both Max Payne 1 and Max Payne 2, and had entered into a “new development agreement” with Rockstar Games, which is also owned by Take-Two Interactive.
The situation highlights the often complicated and contentious nature of intellectual property rights, particularly in the video game industry. Remedy Entertainment has yet to comment on the dispute, but it will be interesting to see how this trademark issue is resolved as the release of Alan Wake 2 draws closer.
Meanwhile, the developer of Cities: Skylines 2, Colossal Order, recently published a blog post in which they called out a “growing tendency of toxicity” among the game’s community. This highlights another issue facing the gaming industry – the need for a welcoming and inclusive environment for all players. It is hoped that both the intellectual property dispute and community toxicity will be addressed and resolved in a satisfactory manner that benefits all parties involved
Read the full article on NME here: Read More