UPDATE NOTE
There seems to be some (understandable) confusion in regards to where the lawsuit is coming from. To clarify, "Bethesda Softworks" (publisher and developer of game titles) and "Bethesda Game Studios" (Creators of games like Oblivion, Skyrim etc.) are not the same entity. BGS is an in-house game-making team led by Todd Howard which is one part of Bethesda Softworks, and has no direct connection to the lawsuit in progress by Bethesda Softworks. Unless further specified by the acronym "BGS", any references to Bethesda in the following article assume "Bethesda Softworks". Sorry about the confusion!
[readmore]
Mojang has been in development of another project (which we went over in our last installment), which bears the working name "Scrolls". Bethesda has expressed concern that players could mix up this new game with their own "Elder Scrolls" series, although the two seem to share no noticeable similarities beyond the word "scrolls".
Notch said that their office received a 15-page cease-and-desist letter, claiming that Mojang would be sued for rights to the word, along with formal requests for legal fees. He went on to say that they are attempting to establish talks with Bethesda regarding the word, to find an amicable solution for both parties. At the time of this writing, there was no available response from Bethesda.
We will continue to update this article as information becomes available.
Notch said that their office received a 15-page cease-and-desist letter, claiming that Mojang would be sued for rights to the word, along with formal requests for legal fees. He went on to say that they are attempting to establish talks with Bethesda regarding the word, to find an amicable solution for both parties. At the time of this writing, there was no available response from Bethesda.
We will continue to update this article as information becomes available.
Thats whats happening right now with bethesta suing mojang.
Its not about the title but the money.
Anyways Mojang will win because no judge will let someone sue someone else for a title and get away with so much money!
You CAN own a word.
Nike owns "Air"
Apple owns... Apple.
Paris Hilton owns "That's hot!"
Donald Trump couldn't get "You're fired" because it was too similar to the already owned "You're hired"
End result of all of this is nothing will happen, this is the way TM laws work. Stop bitching about it and read some info before going all "ZOMG NEVER BUYING GAMES FROM THESE PEOPLE AGAIN!!!!111One"
Actually some people are reading it, and finding themselves fairly pissed off that Bethesda would do something so utterly stupid to begin with. There is no copyright on "Scrolls" and Mojang is working towards copyrighting it, even if Bethesda contests it. There is no way either game name is similar, only by one single word. If they really want to play hardball, power to em, but in the end, it's the legal systems between both game company's that will battle it out. I must admit, it is pretty ****ed they would do that.
The fact that you're saying "Copyright" shows you don't know enough about IP and trademarks.
Zinimax OWNS "The Elder Scrolls" name. Plain and simple. They own it. It is theirs. Hopefully no one contests that.
Notch wants to own "Scrolls" as a name. When he applied, Zinimax would have been told that someone wants to make name containing a word that is contained in their name.
Zinimax NEEDS to defend their Trademark. If they don't, then they are not meeting the requirements of said trademark, and will lose it, meaning anyone could buy the rights to it, then sue THEM.
So. They defend it, by issuing a C&D to Mojang Spec. Normal course of action would be Mojang getting an IP lawyer to send back another 15 page letter saying that the two items are distinctly different, about different things, and that they can quite frankly stick their requests for legal costs up their ass, as long as everyone involved agrees not to stop on each others toes.
And life goes on.
These usually NEVER make common knowledge, and happen ALL the time. The media just loves running with it, especially when it's a big corporation involved.
I believe both have already been done. Whether you would get sued or not is up to the courts that deal with trademarking.
WTF
WTF