Markus “Notch” Persson proclaimed victory for Mojang on Twitter earlier today, stating that the minds behind Minecraft won the interim injunction against Bethesda Softworks and its parent company Zenimax Media. No official court documents have been released to the public yet, but we’re going to assume “Notch” isn’t one to fabricate legal procedure. The case between the two companies has concerned Bethesda’s trademark of the phrase “The Elder Scrolls”, and Mojang’s plan to call its next game “Scrolls”, which Bethesda believed to infringe on said trademark.
Shortly after Bethesda announced their intentions to pursue the case in court, Notch and company suggested the dispute be handled with a Quake 3 match. Mojang eventually offered to re-title the project, Bethesda not responding to either invitation. Given the differences between the two trademarks; “The Elder Scrolls” limited to entertainment software and associated products, while Mojang’s “Scrolls” applies to a wider expanse of media; it is possible that Bethesda’s case could just as easily be about demonstrating a precedent when it comes to defending their trademarks in the future.
While Mojang has won the interim injunction in this case, Bethesda still has an opportunity to appeal the decision. The Elder Scrolls publisher has yet to issue a statement on the matter.
Now that Bethesda v. Mojang has reached a conclusion (at least temporarily), where do you find yourselves on the trademark issue, EGs? Give us your reactions to the case in the comments section below!
I have never liked Bethesda… even though I like some of their games, something about that company shakes me the wrong way.