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Nintendo Files Trademark For Downloadable Eternal Darkness, But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up
Nintendo has filed a new trademark for Silicon Knight's Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem that includes provisions for a digital version of the title. That doesn’t mean a Virtual Console edition of the game is coming, though.
The two trademark filings that appear in the United States Patent and Trademark Office database are identical to the 2010 renewal (and December 2012 extension) except for the language referencing “downloadable electronic game software.” While on the surface this might seem like a new audience will have access to the game, other recent events throw a blanket on that hope.
Precursor Games has been very aggressive in its use of Eternal Darkness footage and the logo for the game in its crowdfunding campaign for Shadow of the Eternals. Nintendo has been largely quiet about Precursor’s activities, and this trademark filing is at bare minimum an endeavor to protect itself and establish, without a doubt, ownership of the name.
[Source: USPTO (a search for “Eternal Darkness is required) via Siliconera, Joystiq]
Our Take
Nintendo has been very quiet about Shadow of the Eternals, and given its recent history protecting its properties, that is not good news for Precursor Games. This could be nothing more than a defensive move, but I wouldn’t be surprised in the least if a lawsuit is coming soon.
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