Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

[Smivs]

...so, I've got this idea for a litigation-based space game, where you fly to planets and sue them.

GW would head straight for the mythical planet Arse and try to sue it for naming itself after their nickname!

[Mad Dan Eccles]

...so, I've got this idea for a litigation-based space game, where you fly to planets and sue them.

Best OXP idea EVER.

[Disembodied]

It should be that if you claim that an obviously generic use of the phrase infringes your trademark, you are submitting evidence that your trademark has become generic and should therefore be revoked. Sadly that sort of thing generally requires an expensive lawyer to fight off their expensive lawyer.

Applying to have the trademark revoked should only cost £200. I suppose though the big money would come into things if the trademark holder objects and tries to take the thing to court. But at bottom it seems quote simple:

Invalidation is the legal procedure that allows anyone to try and remove a registered trade mark from our register. You may apply to remove the entire registration, or only some of the goods or services it covers.

If you start invalidation proceedings, you become the 'applicant’ in the case.

The main reasons why you may want to invalidate, or partly invalidate, the registration of a trade mark are:

* you think the trade mark is one which is not unique to the proprietor and should be free for you (or anyone) in that line of trade to use; or
* you own a trade mark (which does not have to be registered itself) which is the same as, or similar to, the proprietor’s trade mark.

The first reason - "you think the trade mark is one which is not unique to the proprietor and should be free for you (or anyone) in that line of trade to use" - seems pretty straightforward, and it could be targeted specifically at books/works of fiction, citing numerous examples of prior use. Cory Doctorow probably has £200 to spare ...

[NigelJK]

So these cretins have permission to use the term 'Marine' then in association with armed fighters. Not a fight they want or would win that. I would imagine that if brought to the attention of MOD here in the UK it might prove interesting ...

[Selezen]

It makes me fizz, this whole bloody GW thing.

Warhammer - ripped off from LOTR and D&D

Warhammer 40K - ripped off from Aliens, Starship Troopers, (ironically) Warhammer, Battletech and D&D.

Blood Bowl - ripped off from American Football and Speedball.

In fact, I struggle to find ANY GW product that isn't a ripoff.

Sanctimonious hypocrite bastards.

[Thargoid]

If it makes you feel any better, the book involved is back on Amazon and I suspect selling well from all the free publicity and protest backlash.

[ioannis]

This is preposterous.
Is the term dreadnought under copyright, too? Because I am in the process of making a mech-dreadnought.

[DaddyHoggy]

This is preposterous.
Is the term dreadnought under copyright, too? Because I am in the process of making a mech-dreadnought.

There's no (tm) or (c) or (r) symbology for "Dreadnought" on their website - although there isn't for "Space Marine" either as far as I can tell.

But Dreadnought is a (naval) term in use for well over 100 years - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadnought

[Diziet Sma]

But Dreadnought is a (naval) term in use for well over 100 years - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadnought

So we can expect them to go with 'Space Dreadnought', then?

[DaddyHoggy]

But Dreadnought is a (naval) term in use for well over 100 years - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadnought

So we can expect them to go with 'Space Dreadnought', then?

Actually, "Space Marine Dreadnought" - thus, I guess, pulling it under their preposterous "Space Marine" (C) umbrella of shame.

[ioannis]

I guess marinating pork ribs is out of the question from now on.

[Selezen]

I guess marinating pork ribs is out of the question from now on.

I've stared at that now for about five minutes and am no closer to working out what you mean...

[Cody]

Marinating?

[ioannis]

I guess marinating pork ribs is out of the question from now on.

I've stared at that now for about five minutes and am no closer to working out what you mean...

Marinating?

True, I meant to make a pun with the words "marine" and "marinate".
I was not too successful, apparently.

[Selezen]

You are hereby charged with practicing comedy without a license. The sentence is two years watching Lee Nelson DVDs.