Mojang AB recently received a "cease-and-desist" letter for copyright infringement - using the trademarked name "Putt Putt"! Unfortunately, the claim assumes that Mojang is - by way of Minecraft - authorizing the use of their name and likeness, when this is simply not the case.
Often, the legal department of a company will automatically send cease-and-desist letters to anything their searches turn up that might match their criteria, without reviewing the material in detail. This can seem like a senseless action to anyone who's not been a part of a major corporation's legal team; however, they often have oceans of these kinds of claims to sort through, and it's often simpler to send out blanket requests, with the expectation that legitimate claims will be responded to. For the rest of us, it can result in hilarious misfires, like this one.
Pictured: Not Mojang
Mojang is, of course, not making any use of the amusement center franchise's trademarks.
What sort of golf mods or maps have you come across that are awesome? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!
OMGZZZ MINKRAFT STOLD OR STFZZ SUE THM!11
they might have a case. if not, the case is without merrit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putt-Putt_(series)
I loved them =)
"If you google “Putt Putt Craft,” by the way, you get a string of video walkthroughs (like the awesome one below) of the different maps out there, and absolutely nothing officially licensed by Mojang. Because, you know, that’s how Minecraft works. People go on it and they make things, and then they call those things whatever they want, and everyone knows that there’s nothing to be done about it. Everybody but Putt-Putt, at least."
http://www.geekosystem.com/minecraft-putt-put/
Some people just need to do their research...
If I didn't think golf was lame, I'd track one down.
Actually, those people (minecraft side) renamed their stuff specifically to avoid this kind of issue.
Sadly, the exact opposite is true. If they DIDN'T abuse their trademark like this it would be taken away.
Aww... don't take it so seriously though. Keep in mind that Mojang didn't do anything (except sit back and laugh).
The name Putt Putt worked out so well for Humongous Entertainment though.
lol
Mailman: MAIL CALL!
Notch: This letter seems important, after all its from a golf company and it requests return service.
Despite all the joking he opens it and reads it
Notch: ROFL
Notch shows it to the rest of the Mojang team
Everyone: ROFL
Jeb: Ok, now how do we make them look as silly as possible?
Notch: By posting it on the internet of course
That is at least how I imagine how this came to be xD
No, most developed countries have trade agreements with each other that permit this sort of thing. I remember when Sega had to use a different logo for the European version of the Dreamcast, because some company there already had a similar design, and when Nintendo brought Pocket Monsters to the US they had to change the name to Pokemon because someone already had the name.
I doubt Mojang can be held responsible for what its fans do though, but the fans themselves could be. (Not that that they will be, companies can decide if its worth the effort or not to pursue further legal action.)