Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Blizzard’s Overwatch Runs Into Trademark Trouble
Blizzard’s Overwatch has run afoul of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The government agency has suspended one of the publisher’s trademark applications related to its recently announced team shooter, Overwatch.
The conflict doesn’t come from another video game, though. The trademark identified by the USPTO is for an airsoft and paintball company called Innovis Labs and its product, also called Overwatch.
Innovis’ product is a mount that fits a mobile phone and an app that gives a mini-map style view of the battlefield. It also claims to let you control your team, dole out perks, and track the opposing team with GPS.
“Inspired by classic first-person shooter video games, Overwatch is the next generation of interactive gaming,” Innovis claims. Details on just how this works are slim (and the forums largely empty). However, the connection to digital entertainment is clear enough that the USPTO anticipates there might be confusion by allowing both to have trademark rights.
According to notification sent by the USPTO to Blizzard, final disposition of the publisher’s trademark rests with the results of Innovis’ application. Right now, Innovis has received a notice of allowance, meaning that the company must file statement of use (proving that the mark is in active use) or extension request by February 12, 2015.
Blizzard's title was announced at Blizzcon 2014 in November. The trademark was filed on April 1, 2014. Innovis' application was filed the previous September.
We’ve reached out to Blizzard to find out how the company plans to proceed. We’ll update should we receive a response.
[Source: USPTO (1), (2), (3), Innovis Labs via NeoGAF]
Our Take
I suspect that when we finally play Blizzard’s Overwatch, it will be under a different name. Given that Innovis has received go-ahead from the USPTO and seems to be moving forward with marketing the product, it will likely have control of the trademark.
Blizzard is no stranger to name changes, too. Heroes of the Storm began its life as Blizzard Dota and changed to Blizzard All-Stars before settling on its final appellation.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
