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
Copyright (c) 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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