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EA Gets Aggressive In 'Edge' Trademark Spat With Game Maker

By Ben Charny, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

SAN FRANCISCO -(Dow Jones)- Videogame maker Electronic Arts Inc. (ERTS) said Tuesday it asked regulators to cancel another company's trademark claims to the word "edge," a term that appears prominently in the title of EA's "Mirror's Edge" action game.

In a complaint to U.S. trademark regulators, EA says one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, EA Digital Illusions CE AB, already owns U.S. common law trademark rights to the phrase Mirror's Edge.

The game's title has been a source of friction between Redwood City, Calif.- based EA and Edge Games Inc. Pasadena, Calif.-based Edge has "continuously threatened" to sue EA since it began selling the popular action-and-adventure game in late 2008, according to EA. The game has sold more than a million copies.

Edge has developed an aggressive reputation because its chief executive and founder, Tim Langdell, has been persistent in trying to enforce the company's trademarks. The company has trademarked the word "edge" and several compounds using the word "edge."

"While this seems like a small issue for EA, we think that filing the complaint is the right thing to do for the developer community," EA said in a statement.

Edge Games didn't respond to an email seeking comment.

EA shares Tuesday closed down 0.73% at $19.14.

-By Ben Charny, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-765-8230; ben.charny@dowjones.com

  (END) Dow Jones Newswires
  09-29-091639ET
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