CD Projekt now owns the "Cyberpunk" trademark in the EU.

[deadish]

https://euipo.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/015991342

So ... they are going to use the name of an entire genre as their brand for their game(s).

After the mess with Notch and Bethesda over "scroll" and King suing people over the use of the word "saga", I'm sorry to say I have become very warily of companies trying to trademark overly broad terms.

 

[pookie101]

I agree that copyright laws are too strict, but why would anyone title their work "Cyberpunk"? It's dumb as a title.

This reminds me... I was considering making a thread asking for popular works that are untitled, to see if a work can be successful without a title.

the game is called cyberpunk 2077 which is named after the tabletop rpgs cyberpunk 2013 & 2020

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

Yeah, uhm...That's very bad.
Cyberpunk is it's own word and has been in use for some time to describe an 80's view a future dystopia/utopia.
It does not feel right that they should be able to prevent other from using an already established word.

CD Projekt are usually and rightfully praised for their works but I hope that doesn't blind people from pointing out to them how bad a move this is.

Do notch/bethesda and king still hold the trademark for scroll and saga by the way?

 

[pookie101]

I agree that copyright laws are too strict, but why would anyone title their work "Cyberpunk"? It's dumb as a title.

This reminds me... I was considering making a thread asking for popular works that are untitled, to see if a work can be successful without a title.

the game is called cyberpunk 2077 which is named after the tabletop rpgs cyberpunk 2013 & 2020

I know. I think it's dumb to name your work after the genre, as if it's seminal. It would be like calling The Matrix "Science Fiction" or The Maltese Falcon "Noir."

well they werent the only ones.. there was also cyberpunk released for the GURPS system back in the day. that system was renowned for doing what you are condemning from gurps horror to gurps japan.

normally i would be with you but in this case its named after an already existing product that happens to have a genre for a title.so the complaint should be with R talsorian games back in the day. that said while understandable they want to copyright it, it does raise my eyebrows and it makes me wary. copyrighting an entire genre title is a bit much

it would be kind of ironic if they acted like a cyberpunk megacorp in defending the trademark

 

[The Madman]

Oh hey, you forgot this:

*For games and online services.

Good thing I found it, because without adding this little detail you might seem a bit alarmist. My erotic fiction: Cyberpunk-Spunk 3, will still be released on schedule no worries.

Sarcasm aside this is business as usual. Relax. To give an example Bethesda has a trademark on the word Doom for similar purposes, and yet there are still plenty of games which use that word in their title being released. The key thing is that they either need to differentiate their title from those of the official Doom series or otherwise ask permission to use it. That's all.

Is there the potential for another Scrolls situation? Possible, but extremely unlikely. Chill.

 

[TallestGargoyle]

Oh hey, you forgot this:

*For games and online services.

Good thing I found it, because without adding this little detail you might seem a bit alarmist. My erotic fiction: Cyberpunk-Spunk 3, will still be released on schedule no worries.

I'd recommend the name Cyberspunk 3 anyway, which gets around the issue entirely. It doesn't have the issue of being a tongue twister, and it's just a little punchier in tone.

 

[PhoenixMaster]

While I do agree with you that CD Projekt Red trademarking a name like Cyberpunk doesn't sound good, but unless they actually go after people who try to use the word cyberpunk for anything, and given how small they are as a company despite the Witcher 3's success to actually try to use their financial resources for something so small as to sue someone, it'll be a moot point really. If they ever cross that line though, I won't hesitate to say its stupid on their part.

 

[deadish]

I'd recommend the name Cyberspunk 3 anyway, which gets around the issue entirely. It doesn't have the issue of being a tongue twister, and it's just a little punchier in tone.

They could have called it "Projekt Cypher" or something and all the controversy could have been avoided - see even I, a normally creatively dead person, could come up with an alternate name that doesn't sound that bad.

While I do agree with you that CD Projekt Red trademarking a name like Cyberpunk doesn't sound good, but unless they actually go after people who try to use the word cyberpunk for anything, and given how small they are as a company despite the Witcher 3's success to actually try to use their financial resources for something so small as to sue someone, it'll be a moot point really. If they ever cross that line though, I won't hesitate to say its stupid on their part.

The worrying part is under US law, if you don't defend your trademark, you lose it - I'm assuming they will be applying for the same trademark in the US.

Legally they have to sue if they want to keep it in the US. Else if later challenged in court over it, they risk having it invalidated if their opponents points out that they have not defended it adequately in the past.

 

[Dornedas]

The worrying part is under US law, if you don't defend your trademark, you lose it - I'm assuming they will be applying for the same trademark in the US.

Legally they have to sue if they want to keep it in the US. Else if later challenged in court over it, they risk having it invalidated if their opponents points out that they have not defended it adequately in the past.

They already have it in the US at least according to the German site Gamestar. But they don't give a citation where they got that information.

 

[deadish]

the game is called cyberpunk 2077 which is named after the tabletop rpgs cyberpunk 2013 & 2020

Times have changed and CD Projekt Red isn't some developer of a niche product like a tabletop RPG.

Could you imagine the #$%^storm if a company like Square Enix trademarked "Steampunk"? (Maybe they want to use it for a Final Fantasy spin-off as the franchise has frequently included steampunk machinery.)

Edit: You know, now as unlikely as it might be, if their game turns out to be horrible ... they could end up taking the entire genre down with them.

 

[deadish]

The worrying part is under US law, if you don't defend your trademark, you lose it - I'm assuming they will be applying for the same trademark in the US.

Legally they have to sue if they want to keep it in the US. Else if later challenged in court over it, they risk having it invalidated if their opponents points out that they have not defended it adequately in the past.

They already have it in the US at least according to the German site Gamestar. But they don't give a citation where they got that information.

Oh boy ...

 

[pookie101]

the game is called cyberpunk 2077 which is named after the tabletop rpgs cyberpunk 2013 & 2020

Times have changed and CD Projekt Red isn't some developer of a niche product like a tabletop RPG.

true but thats exactly what they licenced the cyberpunk rpg and all its material (please dont use cybergeneration cd project red) and thats what they are trying to do protect the IP

all that said i actually agree with you. i get why they are doing it and they are one of the few that i dont think will abuse it but still its a move that makes me very wary.

please be good ive waited going on 30 years for this game

 

[Fox12]

Oh hey, you forgot this:

*For games and online services.

Good thing I found it, because without adding this little detail you might seem a bit alarmist. My erotic fiction: Cyberpunk-Spunk 3, will still be released on schedule no worries.

Sarcasm aside this is business as usual. Relax. To give an example Bethesda has a trademark on the word Doom for similar purposes, and yet there are still plenty of games which use that word in their title being released. The key thing is that they either need to differentiate their title from those of the official Doom series or otherwise ask permission to use it. That's all.

Is there the potential for another Scrolls situation? Possible, but extremely unlikely. Chill.

How is trademarking the term "cyberpunk" for games any better? It still stifles the use of the term in the video game medium. This isn't alarmist, it's basic common sense. You haven't addressed the actual issue at all.

What the hell, CD Project?

 

[TrulyBritish]

Hmm, having looked at the rest of their TradeMarks it's a little weird. They have the trademark for both "Cyperpunk 2077" and "Cyperpunk" as well as the word "W3" and "Geralt" (among other more sensible ones).
I feel like I know too little about TradeMark law to say how bad a situation this really is...

Added edit: I do feel it's necessary to point out that DC and Marvel co-own the Trademark to "Superheroes".
Yet there are still other superheroes in media that aren't from DC or Marvel.

 

[DoPo]

ITT: people who don't know the Cyberpunk already exist as a line of products...

 

[happyninja42]

I agree that copyright laws are too strict, but why would anyone title their work "Cyberpunk"? It's dumb as a title.

This reminds me... I was considering making a thread asking for popular works that are untitled, to see if a work can be successful without a title.

the game is called cyberpunk 2077 which is named after the tabletop rpgs cyberpunk 2013 & 2020

I know. I think it's dumb to name your work after the genre, as if it's seminal. It would be like calling The Matrix "Science Fiction" or The Maltese Falcon "Noir."

But, they did, so now that there is a product with that as it's name, and CD Projekt are making a game of that license, it seems perfectly natural to me that they would try and get the trademark for it. I agree that it's less than helpful to name your product after a genre, but they did, so, we have to deal with that situation.

I'm pretty sure that CDP aren't saying they own the entire genre, just the very specific game line of the same name.

 

[InsanityRequiem]

Oh hey, you forgot this:

*For games and online services.

Good thing I found it, because without adding this little detail you might seem a bit alarmist. My erotic fiction: Cyberpunk-Spunk 3, will still be released on schedule no worries.

Sarcasm aside this is business as usual. Relax. To give an example Bethesda has a trademark on the word Doom for similar purposes, and yet there are still plenty of games which use that word in their title being released. The key thing is that they either need to differentiate their title from those of the official Doom series or otherwise ask permission to use it. That's all.

Is there the potential for another Scrolls situation? Possible, but extremely unlikely. Chill.

How is trademarking the term "cyberpunk" for games any better? It still stifles the use of the term in the video game medium. This isn't alarmist, it's basic common sense. You haven't addressed the actual issue at all.

What the hell, CD Project?

It means that EA or Activision can?t make a game called Cyberpunk. That?s it. They can name their game whatever they want and call it part of the cyberpunk genre of science fiction, and you know what? Nothing would happen to them for it. Because the setting it separate from a name.

On that note, do you support EA?s trademarking the name Battlefield? What about Activision with Call of Duty? What about the rest of the industry where they trademarked names? If you don?t like CD Projekt Red trademarking a name then you better hate the rest of the industry for trademarking names as well.

 

[Fox12]

Oh hey, you forgot this:

*For games and online services.

Good thing I found it, because without adding this little detail you might seem a bit alarmist. My erotic fiction: Cyberpunk-Spunk 3, will still be released on schedule no worries.

Sarcasm aside this is business as usual. Relax. To give an example Bethesda has a trademark on the word Doom for similar purposes, and yet there are still plenty of games which use that word in their title being released. The key thing is that they either need to differentiate their title from those of the official Doom series or otherwise ask permission to use it. That's all.

Is there the potential for another Scrolls situation? Possible, but extremely unlikely. Chill.

How is trademarking the term "cyberpunk" for games any better? It still stifles the use of the term in the video game medium. This isn't alarmist, it's basic common sense. You haven't addressed the actual issue at all.

What the hell, CD Project?

It means that EA or Activision can?t make a game called Cyberpunk. That?s it. They can name their game whatever they want and call it part of the cyberpunk genre of science fiction, and you know what? Nothing would happen to them for it. Because the setting it separate from a name.

On that note, do you support EA?s trademarking the name Battlefield? What about Activision with Call of Duty? What about the rest of the industry where they trademarked names? If you don?t like CD Projekt Red trademarking a name then you better hate the rest of the industry for trademarking names as well.

I do. I think the trademark system is broken. It's used to eliminate competition and stifle innovation.