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Blizzard Settles Overwatch Trademark Suit With Paintball App Maker
In January, we reported that Blizzard’s arena shooter Overwatch might be due a name change as a result of a legal entanglement. That suit is now settled, and Blizzard should be in the clear to proceed without problem.
The problem resulted from a trademark filed by Innovis Labs for a mobile phone mount and app to be used in paintball games. Blizzard and Innovis signed a co-existence agreement that required the latter to alter the trademark filing to delete mention of video games.
Despite the seemingly peaceful resolution, Innovis did not adjust its filing and instead filed suit against Blizzard in May 2015. The litigants are now in the process of terminating the suit, with Innovis reportedly giving up its rights to the Overwatch name.
The details have not been revealed, and as is the case with many out-of-court settlements, likely will never be made public. Earlier today, Blizzard announced that 7 million people had signed up for the Overwatch beta, which is currently in progress.
[Source: McArthur Law Firm via IGN]
Our Take
It’s likely that money changed hands, and Blizzard was wise to secure the Overwatch name. For a year now, it’s spent considerable money and effort to establish the brand. Making a change now that the title is in beta would cost money and create confusion. The company would be set back if it went into beta and a second Blizzcon before changing the name.
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