Stellarblade Sues Sony Over Game Name Trademark Infringement

Stellarblade Sues Sony Over Game Name Trademark Infringement

Trademark Infringement Lawsuit Filed Against Sony and Shift Up

Stellarblade, a film production company in Louisiana, has filed a lawsuit against Sony and Shift Up, the developer and publisher of the PlayStation exclusive game Stellar Blade. According to the lawsuit, Stellarblade is seeking damages and an injunction to prevent the use of the Stellar Blade name.

Background of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit claims that Stellarblade’s owner, Griffith Chambers Mehaffey, has owned the stellarblade.com domain name since 2006 and has been using the Stellarblade name for his business since 2010. However, Shift Up registered the name Stellar Blade as a video-game-related trademark in January 2023. Mehaffey registered his own trademark for Stellarblade in June 2023, and subsequently sent a cease-and-desist letter to Shift Up.

Allegations of Trademark Infringement

Mehaffey alleges that the use of the Stellar Blade name has caused confusion among customers, with information about Stellar Blade overtaking search results for Stellarblade. Additionally, Mehaffey claims that the “S” styling of Stellar Blade’s logo is too similar to his own Stellarblade logo.

Statement from Mehaffey’s Lawyer

Mehaffey’s lawyer stated that it is difficult to imagine that Shift Up and Sony were unaware of Mehaffey’s established rights before adopting the Stellar Blade name. The lawyer also stated that the defendants’ actions have effectively monopolized online search results for Stellarblade, pushing Mehaffey’s business into digital obscurity.

Key Demands of the Lawsuit

The lawsuit is seeking the following:

The outcome of this lawsuit remains to be seen, but it highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property rights.