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EDGE Games, Inc.
Company typePrivate Company
IndustryComputer and video game industry
Founded1990
HeadquartersPasadena, California, USA
Key people
Tim Langdell (CEO and Founder)
Websitewww.edgegames.com

Edge Games is a fake video game developer and publisher headquartered in a mail box [1] Pasadena, California.

History

Edge Games was founded in California in 1990 by Tim Langdell, also know as the lowest form of life. At that time, it acquired the intellectual property assets of Langdell's former company, Softek Software, itself founded in 1980 in London, England.[2] (this link does not prove that Edge Games acquired the intellectual property assets of Langdell's former company, it only proves that Langdell was already a fraud in 1994) Edge is best known for two of Softek's game titles: Fairlight, released in 1985, and Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal, released in 1987.

Edge Games has not released a new title since 1994,[3][4][5] though the Edge website states that they are working on four multi-platform titles: "RACERS" (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC), "MIRRORS"[6] (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, iPhone), "Mythora 2" (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, iPhone) and "Teenage Wasteland" (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC, PSP, DS, iPhone). The website also states that they are porting some of their Commodore 64 games to WiiWare.

Trademark disputes

Edge Games and Edge Interactive Media have been involved in a number of disputes over their "EDGE" trademark.

Electronic Arts petition for trademark cancellation

In September 2009, Electronic Arts petitioned the US Patent & Trademark Office to cancel a range of registrations associated with EDGE Games.[7] EA's petition came after continued threats of legal action by EDGE Games with respect to the title of EA's 2008 game Mirror's Edge, despite EA's ownership of common law trademark rights to the phrase. In a statement, EA announced that "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."[8] Tim Langdell responded to these claims in an e-mail statement on September 30, claiming that EDGE had in fact not threatened EA with litigation and that 2009 had been spent negotiating an amicable settlement on the use of the trademark. Langdell went on to accuse EA of using the settlement talks to "play for time", and claimed that EA had abandoned efforts to register "Mirror's Edge" as a trademark in September 2008.[9] According to a report by gaming blog Kotaku, the USPTO database lists the trademark "Mirror's Edge" as "abandoned" as of Sept. 8, 2009. An EA spokesman said the company had been unsuccessful in its attempt to resolve the dispute, which led to the filing of the petition.[10]

Edge (iPhone game)

In May 2009, game developer Mobigame's iPhone title Edge[11] was removed from Apple's App Store in the US and the UK due to lawsuit threats by Tim Langdell. According to Mobigames, the dispute arose while they were trying to register a trademark for Edge in the US, while Langdell claims he owns the global trademark on "Edge."[12]

According to the email dialogue between Langdell and Mobigames head David Papazian, shared with Eurogamer, Langdell delivered an ultimatum to Mobigames in exchange for a promise not to litigate. If they changed the game's name, he demanded 25% of the game's revenue for the time the title was on sale under the name "edge", and if they licenced the Edge name, they would give him 10% of the game's revenue in perpetuity and subtitle it "An Homage To [Edge Games title] Bobby Bearing", with the Edge Games logo on the title screen. Papazian claims that he suggested the alternative title "Edgy", but that this was rejected by Langdell as too similar to "Edge". Edge Games subsequently registered this name as a trademark. An Edge Games spokesperson, writing from Tim Langdell's personal email address and signing off as "Tim Langdell", claims that their registration was the result of a misunderstanding "probably in part caused by David Papazian's less than perfect English".[13]

On the 18th of June 2009, it was reported that the game had been restored to the App Store with its original name intact,[14] though later reports indicated that the game had once again been pulled in July 2009,[15] and Mobigames confirmed that they had voluntarily withdrawn the game while considering their options.[13] Mobigames' lawyer, speaking to Eurogamer, stated that "Mobigame's position is that the trademarks owned by Edge Games are not enforceable against Mobigames or any third party in respect of the distribution of the EDGE game," because "there is unlikely to be any confusion or association between them and Mobigame's game" and those trademarks "are liable to be revoked".[13]

Soon after, Edge Games published an "open letter" on its website claiming that several of the statements in the Eurogamer article were false.[16] Mobigames' lawyers issued a response to the effect that the Eurogamer article is accurate and that Edge Games's rebuttal is false, and state that they are gathering evidence to demonstrate that communications Edge Games claims, in its rebuttal, to have made did not actually occur.[17]

The game was eventually put back on the App Store in UK and US markets on October 7, 2009, under the title Edge by Mobigame. Speaking with Kotaku, Papazian said, "on the legal side, (Langdell) cannot claim anything against "Edge by Mobigame" and Apple knows that, so we hope everything will be alright now."[18]

On November 26, 2009, Edge by Mobigame was again removed from the App Store. [19] An unnamed EDGE Games representative stated "Adding 'by Mobigame' was determined not to get around infringement." [20] On December 1, 2009, the game returned to the App Store under the name Edgy.[21] On December 3rd, Edgy was again removed from the App Store due to Tom Langdell submitting another complaint. It is unsure whether Mobigames will add Edgy into the App Store again under a different name or if Edgy will be removed permanently.

Other

In 2001, Edge sought revocation of Namco's United Kingdom trademark "SOULEDGE" (for the game, Soul Edge) for reasons including an alleged similarity between the EDGE and SOULEDGE marks. The opposition failed on all grounds. Nevertheless, Namco had already decided to use the name "Soul Blade" in the United States and Europe to avoid potential complications.[22]

In March 2009, Cybernet Systems Corporation filed a lawsuit in Federal court against Edge.[23] In the suit, Cybernet states that they were contacted by Tim Langdell beginning in January 2009 and that he asserted his ownership of the term "Edge." The suit also alleges that Langdell asserted his right to have the trademark for Cybernet's "Edge of Extinction" game assigned to Edge Games, and his further right to require Cybernet to enter into a paid license agreement with him due to their use of the name. Cybernet refused, and when Langdell threatened a lawsuit, Cybernet instead filed suit against Edge.[24] "Edge of Extinction" was released in 2001, and is no longer an active game.[25][26]

As of June 1, 2009, Edge Games applied for a US trademark for the phrase, "Edge of Twilight."[27] This is the name of an upcoming steampunk fantasy game that has been in development by Fuzzyeyes Studios for at least two years.[28][29]

In addition, Edge has been a plaintiff in lawsuits with New World Computing over their title Planet's Edge,[30] Marvel Entertainment over their titles Cutting Edge, Double Edge, and Over the Edge,[31][32] Sony Entertainment over their Playstation Edge,[33] Edge Tech Corporation over their "The Edge" hardware,[34] and John Coates over his EdgeGamers online community.[35] Edge's website also claims that the movie The Edge was released under license from Edge Gaming, though it isn't clear what, if any, involvement Edge or Langdell had in creating or producing the movie.[36]

Call for Removal from IGDA Board

In July 2009, members of the IGDA began circulation of a petition calling for a special meeting of the membership to vote on the removal of Langdell from that organization's board of directors citing, among other things, his use of his position on the IGDA to "work directly against the mission of the organization."[37][38] In late August, the IGDA announced that a special meeting of the membership would be held on October 3, the sole purpose of which was to vote on whether Langdell should be removed,[39] and on August 31, 2009, Langdell resigned from the IGDA board.[40] Langdell had served on the board since March 2009.[39]

References

  1. ^ http://chaosedge.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/the-products-of-the-edge-empire/
  2. ^ http://smtp1.patent.gov.uk/types/tm/t-os/t-find/t-challenge-decision-results/o37299.pdf
  3. ^ Yu, Derek (July 18, 2009). "Tim Langdell and Edge Games". The Independent Gaming Source. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  4. ^ "Game Browser: Edge, The". Moby Games. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  5. ^ Good, Owen (May 30, 2009). "Trademark Troll Gets Mobigames' EDGE Taken Down". Kotaku. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  6. ^ http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/05/edge.jpg
  7. ^ "EA takes up Edge trademark fight". gameindustry.biz. September 30, 2009. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  8. ^ Charny, Ben (September 29, 2009). "EA Gets Aggressive In 'Edge' Trademark Spat With Game Maker". NASDAQ. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  9. ^ Chalk, Andy (September 30, 2009). "Tim Langdell Responds to EA Trademark Petition". EscapistMagazine.com. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  10. ^ Good, Owen (September 29, 2009). "Electronic Arts Sues to Cancel Langdell's Trademarks". Kotaku. Retrieved 2009-09-30.
  11. ^ "Mobigame.net". Mobigame.net. Retrieved 2009-09-02.
  12. ^ "Update: Edge Pulled Over Alleged Trademark Infringement - Gaming on the iPhone and iPod Touch". Finger Gaming. 2009-05-28. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  13. ^ a b c Parkin, Simon (August 3, 2009). "The Edge of Reason?". Eurogamer. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
  14. ^ "Mobigames' EDGE returns to App Store". Touch Arcade. 2009-06-18.
  15. ^ Yu, Derek (July 15, 2009). "Tim Langdell and Edge Games: Still at It". The Independent Gaming Source. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  16. ^ Public Statement Regarding Mobigame and its iTunes Game, EDGE Games
  17. ^ Mobigame: ‘Edge Games’s open letter is false’, Pocket Gamer
  18. ^ http://kotaku.com/5376764/mobigames-edge-is-back-on-itunes
  19. ^ Dredge, Stuart (November 26, 2009). "iPhone game Edge disappears from App Store (again)". Mobiel Entertainment. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  20. ^ Crossley, Rob (November 27, 2009). "Langdell: 'Edge by Mobigame' isn't fair". develop-online.net. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  21. ^ Crossley, Rob (December 1, 2009). "Edge arrives on App Store for third time". develop-online.net. Retrieved December 1, 2009.
  22. ^ "Trade mark decision". UK Intellectual Property Office. 2002-08-14. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
  23. ^ "Cybernet Systems Corporation v. Edge Games Incorporated et al". Justia.com: Federal District Court Filings and Dockets. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  24. ^ Carless, Simon (June 10, 2009). "A Brief Statement On The Mobigame/Edge Games Article". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  25. ^ "Edge News". Cybernet Systems Corporation. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  26. ^ "Cybernet Copyright Notice". Cybernet.com. Retrieved 2009-07-14.
  27. ^ "United States Patent & Trademark Office". 2009-06-01.
  28. ^ "Edge of Twilight" (in Multiple). Fuzzy Eyes. Retrieved 2009-07-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  29. ^ "Edge of Twilight News". Gamespot. Retrieved 2009-07-12.
  30. ^ "THE EDGE INTERACTIVE MEDIA, INC. v. NEW WORLD COMPUTING, INC. (number 92021684)". Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  31. ^ "THE EDGE INTERACTIVE MEDIA, INC. v. MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP INC. (number 91104138)". Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  32. ^ "THE EDGE INTERACTIVE MEDIA, INC. v. MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT GROUP, INC. (number 91104135)". Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  33. ^ "Edge Games, Inc. v. Kabushiki Kaisha Sony Computer Entertain ment (a/t/a Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.) (number 77126808)". Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  34. ^ "Edge Games, Inc. v. EDGE TECH CORPORATION (number 75321910)". Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  35. ^ "Edge Games, Inc. v. Coates, John (number 77352656)". Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  36. ^ EDGE Games from EDGEGAMES.COM
  37. ^ "It's Fun to Stay at the IGDA". Retrieved 2009-07-18.
  38. ^ Good, Owen (July 17, 2009). "Effort Begun to Remove Trademark Troll from IGDA Board". Kotaku. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  39. ^ a b Good, Owen (August 31, 2009). "Tim Langdell Resigns from IGDA Board (Updated)". Kotaku. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  40. ^ "IGDA Announces Dr. Tim Langdell has stepped down from IGDA Board" (PDF) (PDF). Mt. Royal, NJ: IGDA.org. August 31, 2009. Retrieved 2009-08-31.


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