Update (March 30, 2015):
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=158370091&postcount=109
On September 8, 2014, Nintendo Co., Ltd. filed in Japan a trademark for "Hyrule", with filings in the United States and Europe following in October. I've searched thoroughly for an earlier thread about this, but found none, so let's take a look at these in a chronological order (based on filing date):
Japan
(210) [Application number] 2014-075558
(220) [Application date] 2014/09/08
[Date of entry into force of prior right] 2014/09/08
[Date of publication of application] 2014/10/02
[Transmission date of refusal]
[Date of final disposition]
[Type of final disposition]
[Type of application]
[Trademark(for retrieval)] ＨＹＲＵＬＥ
(541) [Trademark(Standard characters)]
code=8267code=8278code=8271code=8274code=826Bcode=8264
(561) [Transliteration(reference)] ハイルール
(531) [Figure Term(Vienna Classification)]
(731) [Applicant]
[Name] 任天堂株式会社 (Nintendo Co., Ltd.)
[Address] 京都府京都市南区上鳥羽鉾立町１１番地１
[Additional information] Standard characters
(641) [Repetition number]
[Appeal/Trial number]
[Type of appeal/trial]
[Date of request for appeal/trial]
[Petition and joukoku-appeal division]
[Petition and joukoku-appeal division number]
[Date of petition and joukoku-appeal]
[Similar group code] 09G53 11B01 11C01 11C02 24A01 24E02 26A01 26D01
[Applied law] Trademark Law in 2011
[Edition of International Classification] 10
(500) [Number of class] 1
(511)(512) [Class, Goods and Services]
9 家庭用テレビゲーム機用プログラム，家庭用テレビゲーム機用のプログラムを記憶させた電子回路・磁気ディスク・光ディスク・光磁気ディスク・磁気テープ・ＲＯＭカード・ＲＯＭカートリッジ・ＣＤ－ＲＯＭ・ＤＶＤ－ＲＯＭ・メモリーカード，家庭用テレビゲーム機用のプログラムを記憶させた記憶媒体，携帯用液晶画面ゲーム機用プログラム，携帯用液晶画面ゲーム機用のプログラムを記憶させた電子回路・磁気ディスク・光ディスク・光磁気ディスク・磁気テープ・ＲＯＭカード・ＲＯＭカートリッジ・ＣＤ－ＲＯＭ・ＤＶＤ－ＲＯＭ・メモリーカード，携帯用液晶画面ゲーム機用のプログラムを記憶させた記憶媒体，業務用テレビゲーム機用プログラム，業務用テレビゲーム機用のプログラムを記憶させた電子回路・磁気ディスク・光ディスク・光磁気ディスク・磁気テープ・ＲＯＭカード・ＲＯＭカートリッジ・ＣＤ－ＲＯＭ・ＤＶＤ－ＲＯＭ・メモリーカード，業務用テレビゲーム機用のプログラムを記憶させた記憶媒体，ダウンロードもしくはインストール可能な家庭用テレビゲーム機用プログラム及び追加データ，ダウンロードもしくはインストール可能な業務用テレビゲーム機用プログラム及び追加データ，ダウンロードもしくはインストール可能な携帯用液晶画面ゲーム機用プログラム及び追加データ，ダウンロードもしくはインストール可能な電子計算機用プログラム及び追加データ，電子計算機，電子計算機用プログラム，ダウンロード可能な電子計算機用プログラム，電子計算機用プログラムを記憶させた電子回路・磁気ディスク・光ディスク・光磁気ディスク・磁気テープ・ＲＯＭカード・ＲＯＭカートリッジ・ＣＤ－ＲＯＭ・ＤＶＤ－ＲＯＭ，電子計算機用のプログラムを記憶させた記憶媒体，携帯電話機用ゲームプログラム，電子応用機械器具及びその部品，携帯電話機，携帯電話機の部品及び附属品，携帯電話機用ストラップ，電気通信機械器具，録音済みのコンパクトディスク，レコード，インターネットを利用して受信し及び保存することができる音楽ファイル，映写フィルム，スライドフィルム，スライドフィルム用マウント，インターネットを利用して受信し及び保存することができる画像ファイル，録画済みビデオディスク及びビデオテープ，電子出版物
Source:
JPO and INPIT (can't provide direct link to the filing)
The goods and services contain just standard stuff related to video game software on both discs and cartridges. Some mentions of mobile phones as well, but that's common to include in goods and services. I let it be in Japanese as I saw little reason to translate it.
United States
Word Mark HYRULE
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Programs for consumer video game machines; optical discs, CD-ROMs recorded with programs for consumer video game machines; programs for hand-held games with liquid crystal displays; downloadable or installable programs and additional data for consumer video game machines; recorded compact discs; downloadable and storable image files
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 86429498
Filing Date October 21, 2014
Current Basis 44D
Original Filing Basis 44D
Owner (APPLICANT) Nintendo Co., Ltd. CORPORATION JAPAN 11-1, Hokotate-cho, Kamitoba, Minami-ku Kyoto-shi, Kyoto JAPAN 601-8501
Attorney of Record Jerald E. Nagae, Reg. No. 29,418
Priority Date September 8, 2014
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
Source:
http://tsdr.uspto.gov/documentviewer?caseId=sn86429498&docId=APP20141024134210#docIndex=0&page=1
This entered the Trademark Reporting and Monitoring System (TRAM) of the USPTO on October 24. The goods and services here are identical to the application for "Hyrule Warriors". The filing basis 44D states this is an application based on a foreign application.
Europe
Trade mark information
Name: HYRULE
Filing number: 013396338
Basis: CTM
Date of receipt: 23/10/2014
Type: Word
Nature: INDIVIDUAL
Nice classes: 9 ( Nice Classification )
Vienna Classification
Filing date: 23/10/2014
Registration date
Expiry date
Designation date
Filing language: English
Second language: German
Application reference: EW32090AFMAgmu
Trade mark status: Application under examination
Acquired distinctiveness: No
Goods and services
9 Programs for consumer video game apparatus; Electronic circuits, magnetic discs, optical discs, optical magnetic discs, magnetic tapes, ROM cards, ROM cartridges, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs and memory cards storing programs for consumer video game apparatus; Storage media storing programs for consumer video game apparatus; Programs for handheld game apparatus with liquid crystal displays; Electronic circuits, magnetic discs, optical discs, optical magnetic discs, magnetic tapes, ROM cards, ROM cartridges, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs and memory cards storing programs for handheld game apparatus with liquid crystal displays; Storage media storing programs for handheld game apparatus with liquid crystal displays; Programs for arcade video game machines; Electronic circuits, magnetic discs, optical discs, optical magnetic discs, magnetic tapes, ROM cards, ROM cartridges, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs and memory cards storing programs for arcade video game machines; Storage media storing programs for arcade video game machines; Downloadable or installable programs and additional data for consumer video game apparatus; Downloadable or installable programs and additional data for arcade video game machines; Downloadable or installable programs and additional data for handheld game apparatus with liquid crystal displays; Downloadable or installable programs and additional data for computers; Computers; Computer programs; Downloadable computer programs; Electronic circuits, magnetic discs, optical discs, optical magnetic discs, magnetic tapes, ROM cards, ROM cartridges, CD-ROMs, and DVD-ROMs storing programs for computers; Storage media storing programs for computers; Game programs for cellular phones; Mouse (data processing equipment); Mouse pads; Computer keyboards; Printers for use with computers; Computer peripheral devices; Monitors (computer hardware); Scanners (data processing equipment); Electronic pens (visual display units); Electronic agendas; Cellular phones; Parts and accessories for cellular phones; Cellular phone straps; Telecommunication machines and apparatus; Recorded compact discs; Phonograph records; Downloadable music files; Exposed cinematographic films; Exposed slide films; Slide film mounts; Downloadable image files; Recorded video discs and video tapes; Electronic publications.
Source:
https://oami.europa.eu/eSearch/#details/trademarks/013396338
Goods and services here are quite extensive, that is due to certain changes last year on how to file trademarks. Quite similar to the Japanese application but here with things like elctronic pens and electronic agendas added.
So, what does this mean? Well, in Japan Hyrule Warriors, which should be what most people come to think of first when reading this, is called Zelda Musō (ゼルダ無双
. That has, as far as I can tell, not been trademarked. The game has been out in Japan since August, so any name change now wouldn't make much sense.
In the United States and Europe, they game is called Hyrule Warriors. Nintendo is currently seeing some minor issue with the application for this in US, but it's nothing that shouldn't be resolved quickly though it's been a month since the USPTO sent its Offc Action Outgoing and Nintendo has still to respond (deadline is 6 months after the date the action was sent). In Europe "Hyrule Warriors" was registered on August 20. So I believe we can safely assume these new filings do not mean any name changes (just to rule this out, I realize it sounds a bit silly).
Therefore, could this be Nintendo wanting to expand the Hyrule name into a spinoff/sub-series of The Legend of Zelda? We already have Hyrule Warriors, this could perhaps be continued with Hyrule Arena (Tekken inspired fighting), Hyrule Gallery (Pokémon Snap but in Hyrule), Hyrule Sports (like Mario sports games) and so on, just to name a few examples. Or it could be as simple as Nintendo wanting to protect the name. Whatever it is, there you have it.
Added: Some have suggested it could be the subtitle of the next The Legend of Zelda game (for Wii U). Doesn't seem too farfetched.
