Excuse my ignorance, but if Sony trademark this term, does this mean I can't use it ? (Or that I need to pay them to use it ?)
can you even grab a trademark on a word/phrase, which is used widley since years?
You and everyone else in this thread are assuming maliciousness, as if they're going to retroactively file claims against anyone who uses the term... OR SOMETHING. (???)Uh, an ad campaign isn't a pass for trademarking a term that's widely been used by the public for years.
can you even grab a trademark on a word/phrase, which is used widely since years?
Sounds like it's just a tagline (This is for the players/It only does everything/Jump in etc.), rather than them trying to claim the term in the way it is used for videos.
I was surprised a couple weeks ago when I looked up "let's play" on YouTube and found out the Rooster Teeth guys had made a channel called LetsPlay. Was pretty annoying that they were monopolizing the search term.
Anyways, lots of companies have trademarked the term: http://www.trademarkia.com/mobile/trademark-search.aspx?tn=Lets+play
The amount of people in here overreacting without the slightest knowledge of copyright law...
Relax guys. Sony's not about to steal a part of your vocabulary.
You and everyone else in this thread are assuming maliciousness, as if they're going to retroactively file claims against anyone who uses the term.
You really think they would squander the goodwill they established over the past few years with a dumb move like that? Come on, you're smarter than that.
You can't trademark generic terms like that.
Yes, as evidenced by the many individuals and companies that have already trademarked the phrase.
can you even grab a trademark on a word/phrase, which is used widely since years?
Yes, as evidenced by the many individuals and companies that have already trademarked the phrase.
Looking at the link you posted, very few of those were ever actually granted. And the few that were are mostly related to toys and athletic wear. Nothing related to video games.
And really, the issue here is the fact that Sony would even try to trademark a term that's been widely used in the gaming world for years now. I understand it's just business and all, but it still feels a bit shitty.
You and everyone else in this thread are assuming maliciousness, as if they're going to retroactively file claims against anyone who uses the term... OR SOMETHING. (???)
You really think they would squander the goodwill they established over the past few years with a dumb move like that? Come on, you're smarter than that.
Louboutin trademarked red soles for shoes. How stupid is that.
I really cannot give a huge corporation the benefit of the doubt on anything they could use to screw people over, sorry.
Wouldn't it be easier to start by pulling a Nintendo and claiming content from their own games first? If they were really trying to pull a fast one on YouTube Lets Plays.
You don't trademark a term, you trademark a product. Sony may have a thing that they want to call "let's play".
You don't trademark a term, you trademark a product. Sony may have a thing that they want to call "let's play".
can you even grab a trademark on a word/phrase, which is used widely since years?
Lets all not forget King games trying to trade mark the words Candy and Saga in video entertainment. We all saw how that worked out for them and their public image
Yep you're right. From United States Patent and Trademark Office -
"It's on like Donkey Kong" is a trademark of Nintendo, you know. As a phrase/term. People also tried to trademark "Candy."
B-but...
You can't trademark generic terms like that.
didn't someone trademark "edge"?
Are you sure it wasn't copyright?
Awful term for an awful trend. Live narration ruins game videos, and there's no "personality" that I'd want to watch or listen to live over uncut gameplay; it invariably makes engaging video awful. Beyond that, I don't understand how that term caught on.
That said, it seems that's exactly the term Sony is trademarking.
Are you sure it wasn't copyright?
Check out my new "Let us play" video, guys
Dude, they got you as well
https://trademarks.justia.com/868/01/let-s-86801899.html
EDIT: Of course I was beaten
This is what it's supposed to be, but it's frequently bent.