Update: Futuremark responds to “Pwnage” trademark controversy on YouGamers, their own video game website. In addition, MTV contacts owners of Pwned.com for their reaction to the ‘Pwnage’ trademark attempt.
_____
On February 26, 2008, Finnish software development company Futuremark filed to protect the trademark Pwnage in relation to “computer game software and computer game programs enabling users to play games with mobile phones and personal digital assistants” and “online computer games provided via network between communications networks and computers”.
Known for its computer benchmarking software, Futuremark recently announced that it would become a video game developer as well. In late-January 2008, GameDaily reported that Futuremark Games Studio “has apparently already started development on its first game, but further details surrounding genre or platform(s) were not provided.” Mork wonders if “Pwnage” will be the name of Futuremark’s first video game, or if it will be a slogan attached to their overall gaming effort.
Mork wonders if Futuremark filing to trademark “pwnage” is similar to Fark trying to trademark “not safe for work”. “Pwn” and the words derived from it are widely-used and have gone beyond the gaming and hacker communities into pop-culture territory. Securing and protecting a word like this would be at worst, impossible, and an uphill battle at best.
But what does Mprk know.
Source: Trademork.com
Read more: Kotaku - pwnage (TM)?
Read more: Kotaku Australia - FutureMark Responds to Pwnage Trademark Ire
Read more: N4G - Futuremark’s Pwnage
Read more: [H]ard|OCP - Futuremark Trying to Trademark “Pwnage”
Read more: bit-tech.net - Futuremark tries to trademark ‘PWNAGE’
Read more: CustomPC - Futuremark tries to trademark ‘Pwnage’
Read more: Against Monopoly - Trademark Pwnage
Read more: Techdirt - Trademarking Pwnage
Other posts in this category:
MySims SkyHeroes
On January 26, 2010, videogame developer Electronic Arts, Inc.
iPad
On January 16, 2010, a dubious Delaware-based company called IP Application Development LLC filed to protect the trademark .
Sonya Blade
On October 10, 2009, Warner Bros.
Fishville
On October 6, 2009, American video game developer .
Call Of Duty
On September 21, 2009, American video game developer and publisher Activision filed to protect the trademark .
