Reply To: GW legal threat forces War Banner into a name change

[dogma2097Participant 1589xp 3]

The War Banner logo, branding and positioning was never stepping on GW toes, deriving from or passing off as GW – and a “War banner” is a pretty recognised item of battle. Rather than the Apple Computer vs Apple Records, I’d of fought it as Apple Computer vs Apricot Computer – no case to answer as they are two separate and distinguishable entities. On the other hand, I can see where confusion may creep in from outside of interested parties, so for War Banner’s own future marketing, avoiding people confusing their offering with GW (esp as they now call their stores “Warhammer”) it’s probably for the best.

The issue I have is that there is a finite amount of items and terminology in warfare, and when trademarking one (or several) recognised trappings enable you not only to prevent someone using those, but one’s you HAVEN’T trademarked, surely that is anticompetitive. It may be similar, but, by jove, it’s not the same.

“GW, Games Workshop, Citadel, Black Library, Forge World, Warhammer, the Twin-tailed Comet logo, Warhammer 40,000, the ‘Aquila’ Double-headed Eagle logo, Space Marine, 40K, 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Battletome, Stormcast Eternals, White Dwarf, Blood Bowl, Necromunda, Space Hulk, Battlefleet Gothic, Dreadfleet, Mordheim, Inquisitor, Warmaster, Epic, Gorkamorka, and all associated logos, illustrations, images, names, creatures, races, vehicles, locations, weapons, characters, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are either ® or TM, and/or © Games Workshop Limited, variably registered around the world. All Rights Reserved.”

“Epic” when applied to gaming…
Why haven’t they gone after – https://www.epicgames.com/store/en-US/ ?