Langdell set to be stripped of 'edge' trademarks
UPDATED: Edge Games' attorneys agree to cancel USPTO registrations, Mobigame "glad it's over"
A US judge is currently reviewing a proposed final judgement that Edge Games owner Tim Langdell be stripped of the trademarks he has used to assert ownership of the word 'edge.'
Langdell has used his trademarks to force name-changes and settlements from various game companies who used the word in their product titles, but a US judge last week threw out his attempted injunction against EA for its Mirror's Edge franchise.
A further case followed, regarding Langdell's apparently falsified evidence when applying for his various edge-related trademarks.
The former IGDA board member had submitted doctored Edge magazine covers, comic books and game box art to support his claimed rights to the common-language word. EA had presented the fake images as part of its counter-claim against Langdell.
EA attorneys yesterday submitted a proposed final judgement to the same Californian federal judge as in the injunction ruling, William Alsup, stating that Langdell's trademarks should be removed, and now await his sign off.
According to court documents seen by GamesIndustry.biz, Edge Games' attorneys have since signed the proposal, which includes a clause that agreeing to it does not "constitute a concession or admission of, or evidence of, any fault or wrongdoing by any party."
"The undersigned judge is reviewing the parties' stipulation," states the last released court document.
Reads the proposal, "Pursuant to Section 37 of the Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1119, the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and the Assistant Commissioner for Trademarks are hereby ordered to cancel U.S. Trademark Registration Nos. 2,219,837; 2,251,584; 3,105,816; 3,559,342; and 3,381,826."
These are for 'edge', 'cutting edge', 'edge' again, 'the edge' and 'gamer's edge' respectively.
EA, however, looks to have dropped claims for any relief beyond the trademark cancellations, while the mutually-signed proposed judgement also states that "each party shall bear its owns costs and fees in this matter" - meaning Langdell would not cover EA's legal expenses.
Langdell may yet be subject to criminal or civil action for his allegedly fraudulent USPTO applications, as well as reparation attempts from those developers he threatened. Action against him in other countries is also possible.
Commented David Pazazian of Mobigame, whose iPhone title EDGE was pulled from the App Store and forced to change its name, commented that "I am glad it is now over (in the USA at least) and we have been proved right. Thanks must go to EA for taking the matter on and finally obtaining a decision from a court that supports what most of us already knew."
"We are moving on now, looking at new platforms for the game and we are also excited about our next game which is nearly ready for release."
Added Alex Chapman, a partner at Mobigame's laweyer Sheridans, "this is excellent news and completely vindicates that stand taken by all those involved.
"For our part that includes Mobigame and David Papazian and the community who have worked behind the scenes to gather the evidence that ultimately helped lead to what we always felt should be an inevitable conclusion.
"Of course we can't speak for EA but I think this also goes to show how big companies can really help the little guys - and I think all those supporting Mobigame and the others affected by these matter owe EA a debt of gratitude."
Word on Judge Alsup's final sign-off has yet to be released as of this morning, but appears to be a foregone conclusion at this stage.
Edited 1 times. Last edit by James Marsden on 7th October 2010 9:25pm
Glad to see Langdell finally get his comeuppance. I hope other smaller companies are able to seek reparations from him.
So Langdell, you now leave with nothing, Goodbye!
[just kiddin]
Bar one hell of a pay-off, ;)
I'm trying not to lose my head
Uh huh ha ha ha
It's like a jungle sometimes
It makes me wonder how I keep from goin' under
Everyone's a comedian. :P
Not sure the general public would get it, but it'd be a MASSIVE hit among the games industry folk.
(couldnt let everyone else hog all the fun!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZAQgfHJlt0
I am also betting NAMCO is kicking themselves for spending all that money to re-brand Soul Edge. They certainly have money to do what EA did. Let's hope Mobigames gets some reparations. Let's also hope Langdell is finally and completely tarred, feathered and run out of the game development world on a rail.
[link url=http://www.amazon.com/Racers-Pc/dp/B002PXUZU0/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1283302437&sr=1-1
]http://www.amazon.com/Racers-Pc/dp/B002P...[/link]
The reviews are great - "This game is delivered on a blank recordable DVD which cannot be read in any machine, not surprising because the DVD was not recorded. The packaging is ink-jet printing and not professionally printed. The box is a cheap DVD case. There was no printed instruction booklet, just a piece of paper with more cheap ink-jet printing. The DVD label was a sticker. The seller refused to give any kind of refund or accept any returns."
The seller information shows "Edge Games", http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B... ...
Classy bloke this Tim Langdell... ripping off the consumer as well as publishers/devs?
Edited 1 times. Last edit by robert troughton on 8th October 2010 4:02pm
(1) I am amazed that EA is not pushing for Langell to pay its costs. I suppose they just want to draw a line under the matter.
(2) If Edge Games' 'ownership' of the Edge trademarks is cancelled, that leaves the way open for anyone else to apply to register them. The two obvious candidates are EA and Future Publishing. I wonder what will happen?
The reviews are brilliant. I'm guessing the 5 star one was maybe Mr Langdell himself? I particularly like the review that copies (and takes the mick) out of that same review.
Brilliant.
I don't have a great deal of knowledge or experience of his previous legal endeavours, but I've followed this case closely and it seems like he has got exactly what he deserved.
@ Christopher - is that why Soul Edge became Soul Blade? I never knew (but always wondered)!
I know the guy is a bit of an asshole and should never have been granted the trademark 'edge'. But is this more the fault of the people who gave him the trademark or Langdell for naturally exploiting the cash giving cow that the USPTO gave him in the first place?
It does make you wonder if anyone else had been given a trademark for a single common-use word, would they have done the same thing? Or more to the point would EA (if they had the edge trademark) go around suing people who used the mark in their game title?
Quite probably.
But that’s not why we are here.
Down with the Langdell!!!! Death to all trademark infidels!!! :D
Edited 1 times. Last edit by Darren Adams on 8th October 2010 6:04pm
*puts shades on*
...Just lost their edge.
YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
Looking forward to see this happen more often. Great news nevertheless :)
So I don't think we have to worry about that.
Good to see that common sense finally won through, shame that it needed EA's legal team behind it to do so.