"Edge" is free?! EA to Tim Langdell: "Fuck you"

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bluemax

Banned
Gary Whitta said:
Does this guy actually produce anything or does he just threaten those who try to?

He's been posting on CL first looking to hire people to make a game and then looking for people with completed iPhone games who want a publisher.
 

border

Member
phisheep said:
I find it curious as well how TL is filing his own motions rather than going through lawyers - have they deserted him?

There is a lawyer that will defend anyone or anything; he hasn't been abandoned.

Lawyers are really expensive. I doubt he can really afford to pay anyone who knows what they are doing. Eventually he may get into trouble because while you are allowed to represent yourself in a lawsuit, I do not think you are allowed to represent your own company/corporation.
 

BluWacky

Member
bluemax said:
He's been posting on CL first looking to hire people to make a game and then looking for people with completed iPhone games who want a publisher.

Now this is all very well and good, but IF it works the only thing it'll give him standing in is the claim that he no longer uses his marks. It doesn't alter the fact that he registered them with false evidence which can be proved with just the Edge magazine evidence (easily enough obtained), even if EA's lawyers don't pursue the doctored comic book cover angle too far.

The man is bonkers, frankly. Clearly he will delay as far as possible to avoid the repercussions of this current lawsuit, but EA has in-house lawyers; they're not going to suddenly run out of money to instruct counsel unless they fire them all.
 
El_TigroX said:
Well... people... just found myself in possession of Racers, an Edge game... can't wait to give it a play.

Edit: Actually... I'm not sure I even want to put this on my computer... I'm not sure what will even happen.

Fyi, this isn't an EDGE game. It's someone else's game that he's just pretending is made by his company. On that chaosedge blog it shows the 'Racers' trailer, and it's exactly the same as a trailer for a game made by another company, he simply inserted a logo and tagline for his own company in front of it.
 
D

Deleted member 20415

Unconfirmed Member
Wormdundee said:
Fyi, this isn't an EDGE game. It's someone else's game that he's just pretending is made by his company. On that chaosedge blog it shows the 'Racers' trailer, and it's exactly the same as a trailer for a game made by another company, he simply inserted a logo and tagline for his own company in front of it.

Ah yes, there it is... nuzzled between:

"EDGE, THE EDGE, GAMER'S EDGE, CUTTING EDGE, MAGIC EDGE, EDGE NET are all trademarks of Edge Games, Inc and The Edge Interactive Media, INc. Racers it the trademark of EGI... Developed by IBA Group, published by Edge Games. Executive Producer for Edge Games, Tim Langdell."


Looks like he licensed this game from an IT group: http://www.ibacz.eu/IBA-Developed-Computer-Game
 

border

Member
I don't have time to read the entire ChaosEdge blog, but it sounds like he is just buying publishing rights to obscure Eastern European PC games and then publishing them. And by "publishing," I mean he is burning them on to a DVD with some laserjet box art. He doesn't expect anyone to buy this garbage, but needs to be able to walk in to court and claim he is actually releasing games and not trolling trademarks.

ChaosEdge actually got a copy of Racers as well.....but they never even installed it. They just did a 10,000 word analysis of the box or whatever.
 

Stinkles

Clothed, sober, cooperative
border said:
There is a lawyer that will defend anyone or anything; he hasn't been abandoned.

Lawyers are really expensive. I doubt he can really afford to pay anyone who knows what they are doing. Eventually he may get into trouble because while you are allowed to represent yourself in a lawsuit, I do not think you are allowed to represent your own company/corporation.


If only Jack Thompson hadn't been disciplined.
 
dose said:
Lol, oh my...
(nabbed from toucharcade)

Sequel to Eliss announced - Edgeliss
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40057013@N06/4096463706/

FEZ becomes FEDGE
http://polytroncorporation.com/?p=724

Closure becomes Closure: on the EDGE of reality
http://www.closuregame.com/blog/index.php

LEDGE DISMOUNT
http://secretexit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57

Edgeward McEdgington
http://tedmartens.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/edgeward-mcedgington/

First I was:

edge+s+angry.JPG


Then I:

wwe-edge.jpg
 

pakkit

Banned
dose said:
Comments said:
Hi, I’m Miles Fedgeworth, owner of Fedge’s Hedges and Topiary PLC.

In 1992 we filed a copyright claim in Christmas Island for ‘”Fedge”, as pertaining to Hedges, horticulture, grass, lawnmowers, weed trimmers, topiary and computerised hedge shaping simulations’. Your title “Fedge” clearly infringes on a number of our protected copyrights and we wish to seek renumeration.

The “trixel”, is clearly inspired by (if not exceedingly derivative of) our unique equilateral cuboid hedge designs and we aggressively protect our unique designs with full support of the HGDA (Hedge Growers Drinking Association).

We expect compensation in the form of money, promo copies and tshirts.
:lol :lol
 

phisheep

NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Just noticed a booboo in TL's last filing of 9th November.

He makes much of section 503.01 of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Manual of Procedure, but he has clearly not read the whole manual - or, for that matter some of the other procedural documents.

There's at least two things he has forgotten to do. Looks to me as if there is a bit of an 'oops' moment coming up.

Tim, if you happen to come across this comment, I'm not telling you what they are.

Happy reading.
 

bernardobri

Steve, the dog with no powers that we let hang out with us all for some reason
dose said:
Lol, oh my...
(nabbed from toucharcade)

Sequel to Eliss announced - Edgeliss
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40057013@N06/4096463706/

FEZ becomes FEDGE
http://polytroncorporation.com/?p=724

Closure becomes Closure: on the EDGE of reality
http://www.closuregame.com/blog/index.php

LEDGE DISMOUNT
http://secretexit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57

Edgeward McEdgington
http://tedmartens.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/edgeward-mcedgington/

Things like that make me proud of this industry.
 

gofreak

GAF's Bob Woodward
Old?

http://www.develop-online.net/news/33382/Langdell-Edge-by-Mobigame-isnt-fair

Trademark disputes rumble on, as Edge Games sees re-named iPhone title removed from App Store

Tim Langdell’s Edge Games sought to remove the iPhone title ‘Edge by Mobigame’ from the App Store before it was removed, the company has confirmed.

The move marks the second time Langdell has controversially succeeded in removing Mobigame’s award-winning puzzle game from Apple’s store, a plan accomplished with the pugnacious use of trademark protection on the word ‘Edge’.

A statement issued to Develop by Edge Games – thought to be written by Langdell himself, despite claims to the contrary – confirmed that the company took issue with the new name for Mobigame’s iPhone title, which was once called ‘Edge’ but then sold as ‘Edge by Mobigame’.

“Adding ‘by Mobigame’ was determined not to get around infringement,” said Langdell’s ‘rep’.

Edge Games, however, is self-assured that EA’s masterplan is “guaranteed to fail since EA has failed to meet the basic requirements to get a mark canceled in either territory.”

Langdell’s rep claimed that Edge Games has filed a motion to dismiss EA’s action, going on to make the haughty claim that the motion is “expected to succeed.”

“Despite rumors to the contrary, Edge Games has either won every dispute in the past 20 years over the mark Edge or has settled amicably with the other party ending the dispute with an agreement in Edge Games' favor,” read the statement.

“That acknowledges and reaffirms Edge's ownership of the mark Edge.”


Oh, and apparently Edge Games has a board now, who actually direct all this. Not Tim Langdell. Yeah right...

Edge Games goes on to make bizarre suggestions that Tim Langdell himself is barely accountable for the firm’s numerous trademark disputes.

Langdell – the man whose enemies have given him the pejorative title of ‘trademark troll’ – recently quit the IGDA following rumors he would be removed. He has faced widespread allegations of immorally holding onto a dormant trademark but according to the statement has “at no time ever taken action as an individual in this matter”.
 
Why do Apple keep pulling the game down? Not exactly painting the picture of a dev-friendly delivery system by cow-towing to someone that is clearly insane and whose world is hopefully soon to collapse in on itself.

Referring to himself as "a board" is real delusional madness :lol
 

LCfiner

Member
SecretBonusPoint said:
Why do Apple keep pulling the game down? Not exactly painting the picture of a dev-friendly delivery system by cow-towing to someone that is clearly insane and whose world is hopefully soon to collapse in on itself.

Referring to himself as "a board" is real delusional madness :lol

The App store has been anything but Dev Friendly. this is just another example of how they screw up.
 

Walshicus

Member
SecretBonusPoint said:
cow-towing to someone that is clearly insane
Cow-towing? Don't think I've ever seen it romanised as anything but Kowtow.

Now, if you actually meant towing cows that would be a weird but amusing mental image.
 

Blimblim

The Inside Track
Sir Fragula said:
Cow-towing? Don't think I've ever seen it romanised as anything but Kowtow.

Now, if you actually meant towing cows that would be a weird but amusing mental image.
It's a moo point anyway (yeah I just made a Friends reference, sue me).
 
Yeah...well...perhaps where I'm from, towing cows in front of people is an act of obedience and submission as well okay! OKAY?!

I will get back to you on this matter when the SecretBonusPoint board have reached a verdict.
 
SecretBonusPoint said:
Why do Apple keep pulling the game down? Not exactly painting the picture of a dev-friendly delivery system

Apple's iPhone environment is like the most conceivably opposite thing imaginable to a "dev-friendly delivery system."
 

Mario

Sidhe / PikPok
SecretBonusPoint said:
Why do Apple keep pulling the game down?

Well, strictly speaking, while Edge has the "Edge" trademark registered in the US with respect to videogames, Apple is oblidged to at least approach Mobigames. Until the trademark is declared invalid by the USPTO (which may happen via the EA action), Langdell has a legal claim. Changing the name to "Edge by Mobigames" doesn't necessarily avoid infringement entirely. "Edgy" as Mobigames first offered would have I would argue, though the dick move by Langdell was to trademark that too.

The biggest problem with trademark law is that infringement is not black and white. Infringement occurs when there is a chance for consumers to confuse products or services which make it very grey and ambiguous.

That being said, I just went to the USPTO site (http://tess2.uspto.gov/) and checked up on the situation, and there are conflicting registrations which is odd. Info is below, Edge registered trademark first, then the Mobigames registered trademark. The USPTO should not have allowed the Mobigames registration seeing as it overlaps the use and categories the existing Edge registration had. The fact they allowed it confuses matters.


Word Mark EDGE
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: computer game software, computer game programs, video game software, video game programs, computer game software that may be downloaded from a global computer network, video game software that may be downloaded from a global computer network, computers, plug-in boards, peripheral devices, flash cards, video game accessories, video game peripherals, games designed for use with mobile entertainment devices. FIRST USE: 19840601. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19840601
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 78807479
Filing Date February 5, 2006
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Owner (APPLICANT) EDGE GAMES, INC. CORPORATION 530 SOUTH LAKE AVENUE #171 PASADENA CALIFORNIA 91101
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Prior Registrations 1853705;2219837;7502940
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE


Word Mark EDGE
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Apparatus for recording, transmitting, reproducing or processing sound or images; data processing and computer equipment; computer game software
IC 028. US 022 023 038 050. G & S: Games, namely, board games, puzzles, Toys, namely, building blocks

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment, namely, organization of computer and video game competitions, providing online computer games

Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 79067304
Filing Date January 12, 2009
Current Filing Basis 66A
Original Filing Basis 66A
International Registration Number 0998834
Owner (APPLICANT) MOBIGAME S.A.R.L. FRANCE 85 boulevard Pasteur F-75015 PARIS FRANCE
Type of Mark TRADEMARK. SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
 

phisheep

NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
At long last something has happened here - 22nd February decision:

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-92051465-CAN-14.pdf

Here's a summary:

Langdell's motion to dismiss denied (hurrah!)

EA's allegations of fraud denied (boo!)

EA have 30 days to re-allege fraud properly (hurrah!)

Langdell then has 30 days to respond (hurrah - as it it's a proper deadline)

EA's motion for court attorney to attend discovery hearing granted (hurrah!)

On a quick hurrah v boo count EA is winning.

Expect some fireworks/meltdown over the next two months. Should be good fun.
 

ShinNL

Member
If this guy isn't fined and/or jailed, I won't be happy. Go EA (still can't believe that it's the EA doing this). I hate this guy. Hate hate hate hate. Karmaaaa!
 

dallow_bg

nods at old men
phisheep said:
At long last something has happened here - 22nd February decision:

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-92051465-CAN-14.pdf

Here's a summary:

Langdell's motion to dismiss denied (hurrah!)

EA's allegations of fraud denied (boo!)

EA have 30 days to re-allege fraud properly (hurrah!)

Langdell then has 30 days to respond (hurrah - as it it's a proper deadline)

EA's motion for court attorney to attend discovery hearing granted (hurrah!)

On a quick hurrah v boo count EA is winning.

Expect some fireworks/meltdown over the next two months. Should be good fun.
Thanks for the update!
 

phisheep

NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Soneet said:
If this guy isn't fined and/or jailed, I won't be happy. Go EA (still can't believe that it's the EA doing this). I hate this guy. Hate hate hate hate. Karmaaaa!

This isn't a criminal court, so that won't happen. Not here at least.

However, it does raise an interesting tactical point - if EA does re-allege fraud (and it seems in their best interests to), then Langdell's best option would seem to be to give up at this stage and concede the trademarks - otherwise he is likely to be in real danger of his only real choice being between admitting fraud or committing perjury, either of which could easily lead to criminal charges.
 
Hopefully public execution is still on the table. In seriousness though, I really cannot see this guy ever admitting to being the scum that he is, directly or indirectly. His ego is too big and his bizarre grandiosity too pathological. He is like a humorless Rod Blagojevich, but worse. He will go to jail and "think" he's doing it on principal (which isn't entirely bad, but I really cannot see him getting anything remotely approaching what he deserves).

That said, when the hell is the Edge game coming back to the iPhone store permanently? They keep re-pulling it randomly and it hasn't been back for several months.
 

raphier

Banned
chubigans said:
You're gonna love this:

http://chaosedge.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/hedge-your-bets/

:lol :lol :lol

I would LOVE to see IGN put up a mock-review of RACERS with a bad score to see what would happen. :lol
RACERS being the next title out of the stocks, we were excitedly waiting for the 9th, Sept, 2009 release date, but to our horror, we found that come the 9th, the pre-order page for RACERS changed to SOLD OUT. Clearly the hundreds, nay thousands, possibly millions of gamers had been virtually queuing up and purchased the game before we managed to bag one.

That’s right, not one person has managed to pull themselves away from playing this incredible game in order to post a few blessed words on a blog, news site or otherwise.

Of course we kid, don’t for one second believe that RACERS was released and that anyone has been playing it. That’s the proof we have to show that RACERS was never released, there’s no gamers playing it and it’s exactly why there are no news sites putting up reviews of it.

Call me uber confused :lol
 

phisheep

NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
There has been some movement here.

Yesterday. 19 March 2010 and only a few days before EA’s deadline for representing their allegations of fraud, Langdell (aka Edge Games) filed a further motion to dismiss.

It isn’t a very good one! You’ll find it here:

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/ttabvue-92051465-CAN-15.pdf

In effect he moans at the Trademark Board (not a good idea IMHO) for treating his previous motion under res judicata rather than stare decisis and goes into several pages trying to justify this.

Just in case anyone is interested, res judicata is where a matter has already been fully litigated between the parties (here it wasn’t, as EA was not a party to the previous action) and stare decisis is where a previous decision of law is binding on subsequent decisions (which doesn’t apply here because the previous matter was settled and not brought to court, and besides even if it was a decision it was a decision of fact rather than of law – so this is a crap submission).

So this is nothing more than a delaying tactic, yet again. But it remains to be seen just how swiftly the TTAB can get around to dismissing it.

I suspect they will just ignore it and then Langdell will complain that the deadlines haven’t been moved again, at which stage there should be some fireworks, and possibly the chance for EA to claim judgment in default.

In the short term it does not affect the case timetable – so as things stand there’s only another 30-something days before Langdell will be forced into an answer.

Also yesterday, I found there is another case going on here between the same parties:

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=91193736&pty=OPP&eno=4

I’m not yet sure how these two interact, but I expect a further update to be made in the next week or so.

(Don’t know if anyone is still interested in this, but I intend to keep posting updates as/when anything happens – since it will probably all get very exciting at some stage).
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
thanks for the update. I don't have anything to add, but I appreciate hearing it.
 

dose

Member
phisheep said:
(Don’t know if anyone is still interested in this, but I intend to keep posting updates as/when anything happens – since it will probably all get very exciting at some stage).
The updates are much appreciated phisheep. The legal docs are hard to understand most of the time :)
 

Monocle

Member
Thanks for the news, phisheep. If there's any justice that scumbag will lose his trademarks and be fined to bankruptcy.
 

phisheep

NeoGAF's Chief Barrister
Monocle said:
Thanks for the news, phisheep. If there's any justice that scumbag will lose his trademarks and be fined to bankruptcy.

Thanks for the responses, guys. Means I'm not crying in the wilderness!

My take on it at present is that the outcome of the actual case is (pretty well) solely dependent on EA not giving up. So if any of you guys have means of expressing love to EA over this, go do it.

I'd prefer that EA particularise the fraud allegations in the next few days - it's a big tactical advantage if they have the evidence lined up. But then, I'm seeing this as a spectator rather than a participant.

The outcome for Langdell depends very much on how deep a hole he digs for himself during these proceedings. If it gets as far as discovery he is potentially in very deep trouble indeed, and he appears to be doing the most he can to avoid it.

It is very noticeable that he is making the motions himself and not through lawyers. Any law firm involved is keeping sensibly in the background. I would if I had him as a client.
 

ymmv

Banned
Thanks for the updates. I've been following the case for a while and I hope Langdell finally gets what he deserved.
 
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