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Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:32 pm
by Smivs
cim wrote:
...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!

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:49 pm
by Mad Dan Eccles
cim wrote:

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

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 12:50 pm
by Disembodied
cim wrote:
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 ...

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 3:59 pm
by 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 ...

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:14 am
by 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.

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:47 pm
by 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.

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 9:43 pm
by ioannis
This is preposterous. :evil:
Is the term dreadnought under copyright, too? Because I am in the process of making a mech-dreadnought.

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Thu Apr 04, 2013 11:24 pm
by DaddyHoggy
ioannis wrote:
This is preposterous. :evil:
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

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:24 am
by Diziet Sma
DaddyHoggy wrote:
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? :mrgreen:

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 8:40 am
by DaddyHoggy
Diziet Sma wrote:
DaddyHoggy wrote:
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? :mrgreen:
Actually, "Space Marine Dreadnought" - thus, I guess, pulling it under their preposterous "Space Marine" (C) umbrella of shame.

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 11:31 am
by ioannis
I guess marinating pork ribs is out of the question from now on. :?

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:48 pm
by Selezen
ioannis wrote:
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...
:?

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 12:55 pm
by Cody
Marinating?

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 1:40 pm
by ioannis
Selezen wrote:
ioannis wrote:
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 wrote:
Marinating?
True, I meant to make a pun with the words "marine" and "marinate".
I was not too successful, apparently. :P :oops:

Re: Space Marines 'trademarked' by Games Workshop?!

Posted: Fri Apr 05, 2013 7:52 pm
by Selezen
You are hereby charged with practicing comedy without a license. The sentence is two years watching Lee Nelson DVDs.