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!
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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.
Seriously, this is such an unreasonable thing to sue!
I am so sickened to even say that. People can sue and claim the rights to a word older than any human alive. Isn't that fun, kids?
Yet, I never said, nor thought "the elder scrolls" when I discussed/ pondered those games.
It's not as if anyone ever said "I'm a huge fan of the elder scrolls" and got laid anytime soon after, amirite?
YES. YOU. CAN.
Or more accurately, you can own all the rights to it, by making it a trademark of your company. Making it a trademark also means that other people can't use SIMILAR things for their own business.
Name a company with "Apple" in the name, as a brand, not an actual apple. I KNOW you can't do it without google, and I don't like your chances WITH it.
There is a reason for this.
Not denying that for a second.
But if you started up a business called "L-Mart" I'm sure Walmart would have a thing or two to say about it. Likewise if you started "Nick's shoes" or made a site called "Stevie's App store" for programs you make.
They would have. And it got resolved quietly, like the thousands of other cases like this.
Seriously, I don't have very high regard for Bethesda, and they are now officially on my "toilet" list after this.
This is a low punch trying to make him stop something that well will throw elder scrolls in the trash. That's what happens in the big leagues. If one companie sees there about to get spanked by something another compnay is doing they try stupid retarded attempts like this.
Good luck with there law suit. All they want to do is drain mojangs pockets in court fees and stuff to try and stop what there doing in development. Want to stop a small company from getting off the ground drain there wallet in court so they have to stop development.
Notch counter sue there aws for a big fee to help do what you planned on doing.
I don't even know why Bethesda went after it in the working title stage, they could've at least waited until there was some more solid release date.
Mojang should really ignore this pathetic attempt of Bethesda's at garnering money or respect from them and Bethesda should crawl back under whatever rock they came out from underneath.
It really wouldn't surprise me at all to learn that the actual release title never even mentions the word scrolls anywhere at all and that Bethesda will get laughed out of court for something they haven't even begun to think through properly.
Cheers ...
BrickVoid