A Louisiana-based film production company, Stellarblade, has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Sony and Shift Up, the developer of the PS5 game Stellar Blade. The suit alleges that the game's title infringes upon Stellarblade's existing trademark.
Trademark Clash:
The core of the dispute centers on the similarity between "Stellarblade" (the film company's trademark) and "Stellar Blade" (the game's title). Both trademarks are registered, creating a legal battle over the use of a nearly identical name.
Stellarblade, owned by Griffith Chambers Mehaffey, claims the game's title harms its business by reducing online visibility. Customers searching for "Stellarblade" are allegedly overwhelmed by search results for the game, making it difficult to find the film company's website (stellarblade.com, registered since 2006).
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages, attorney fees, and an injunction preventing further use of "Stellar Blade" or similar variations. It also demands the destruction of all Stellar Blade marketing materials.
Timeline and Arguments:
Stellarblade registered its trademark in June 2023, after Shift Up registered "Stellar Blade" in January 2023. However, Mehaffey's lawyer argues that Shift Up and Sony should have been aware of Stellarblade's prior use of the name, considering the film company's website and business operations dating back to 2006 and 2011, respectively. The game was initially known as "Project Eve" before the name change in 2022.
The lawyer emphasizes Stellarblade's long-standing use of the name and the alleged monopolization of online search results by the game's far greater marketing reach. The similarity of logos and the stylized 'S' are also cited as contributing to the confusion. The lawsuit also notes that trademark rights can have retroactive application.
The legal outcome remains uncertain, highlighting the complexities of trademark disputes, especially when involving established businesses and large game publishers.
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