Take-Two Interactive, which owns Grand Theft Auto 6 developer Rockstar Video games, and Remedy Leisure are doing extra collectively than simply making Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne remakes. Each firms are additionally in a trademark dispute, in the UK, over the usage of the letter “R,” as first reported by gaming web site RespawnFirst.
Rockstar Video games is opposing Remedy Leisure’s new emblem, which was filed with the Intellectual Property Office of the U.K. and European Union final 12 months. Remedy Leisure unveiled the brand new emblem in April (earlier than submitting the trademark functions within the EU, U.Okay., and United States), altering it from an “R” with a bullet-shaped counter in an oval to a less complicated “R” that’s made up of a number of items of the letter. “The bullet in the letter R in the old logo represented the era of Max Payne, but the Remedy of now is much bigger than a single game; we have a whole portfolio of games, new and old,” Remedy Leisure communications director Thomas Puha wrote at the time.
However Take-Two Interactive is arguing that the brand new emblem could trigger “confusion on the part of the public,” in accordance with the filings, as a result of it’s too near the Rockstar Video games’ emblem — an “R” with just a little star hooked up to the leg of the letter — which was submitted as proof. Take-Two Interactive has formally filed opposition in each the EU and U.Okay., whereas the U.S. software remains to be awaiting examination.
The EU proceedings aren’t schedule to be held till no less than September 2025, according to The Verge, but it surely appears probably that the 2 firms would settle this earlier than then, given the businesses’ relationship on the Max Payne video games. It’s sort of awkward to be releasing Max Payne and Max Payne 2 remakes collectively whereas arguing concerning the letter “R.”
A Remedy Leisure spokesperson declined to touch upon the trademark dispute.
Take-Two Interactive does have expertise in trademark disputes; Take-Two filed in opposition of Hazelight Studios and Digital Arts’ It Takes Two in 2021, which ultimately led to Hazelight and EA abandoning the trademark. Like within the It Takes Two case, Take-Two Interactive isn’t essentially submitting to get Remedy Leisure to vary its emblem — but it surely doesn’t need the corporate to have the ability to shield it.
The corporate is fairly aggressive in defending its trademarked phrases and logos; it’s additionally taken on the BBC and the security company Pinkerton, amongst lots others.
