Korean game studio Shift Up announced work on the long-awaited action game Stellar Blade and won the hearts of many PlayStation fans, only to end up in a legal dispute around it over claims of copyright infringement. The internet is rife with rumors of the company being embroiled in lawsuits over allegations of infringing upon intellectual property, after releasing the science fiction-action game just a few months ago that sold more than 1 million copies.
Stellar Blade and Shift Up: Stellar Blade was the follow-up title that the creators of Goddess of Victory: Nikke (also released in 2019) were hoping to be successful as well. The game casts players as Eve, a warrior fighting to take back Earth from alien forces. Fast-paced action victory, beautiful graphics and an immersive story. But success is now being overshadowed by legal troubles.
The Lawsuit: A Name Battle
The lawsuit relates to the name Stellar Blade that was announced as changed from its title Project EVE during this September PlayStation State of Play event. The person bringing the suit, who has been named Mehaffey, alleges infringement on a pre-existing trademark in his Complaint. Mehaffey also created a web site at the domain “stellarblade. com,” suggested that Shift Up and Sony were aware of his ownership of the name yet proceeded with it anyway.
After his job terminated, he started seeking compensation and even demanded that any and all Stellar Blade branded materials be turned over for destruction. That isn’t a likely outcome – since Mehaffey only owns a web domain – but if these case proceed further into court, the potential for a payout from Sony and Shift Up is there.
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Shift Up’s response : ” Rather than acknowledging the game that is currently in my hand, would you like to say something after hearing what I did last week, and some of Sony will work with the concept model “
Both Shift Up and Sony have not officially made a public decision just yet, hence leaving fans and industry watchers to wonder about the lawsuit outweighs. This could have major implications on the future of the game, that may also reject developers to rename it once again if the case goes through.
Stellar Blade is a big game for Shift Up, with all of its DLC plans and even having the title ported to PC. It’s not exactly great publicity for a game that by all accounts has quickly been established as a cornerstone of the developer’s output, and could well be seen to cast serious doubt over its potential longevity.
Smaller Studios Have Faced Legal Battles Before
This is far from the first time a small game studio has butted heads legally with trying to claim naming rights and intellectual property in an industry that moves at breakneck speeds.
This is a reality that many asian studios face – especially when their games are translated into English and reach western markets. It may seem like an annoyance, but two competing companies bickering over the rights to a simple buzzword can result in lengthy legal battles costing millions.
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The timing is especially lousy as well for Shift Up, who has just recently earned wider name recognition and a burgeoning global gaming audience from the deluge of attention that’s come with Exos Heroes’ global launch.
It was a big victory for the company Stellar Blade brought it to one of the main players in gaming. The company now faces an additional legal challenge and risks redirecting resources and attention to fight the lawsuit.
So What’s in Serena Blade’s Future?
Regardless, the lawsuit doesn’t appear to have halted what Shift Up is presumably plowing ahead with its plans for the game. The game had some recent DLC released to it, and a PC port may also be in the works for gamers as well. In the meantime the fans hope that this lawsuit will not harm the further progress and success of which game.
The lawsuit is also a good demonstration of how losing in court due to IP laws occur and it continues to be a problem for game developers, especially when selling their games globally. What all that portends for the future of Stellar Blade remains to be seen.
Stellar Blade has caused waves in the gaming industry, and both Shift Up and Sony will be monitoring further developments. Only time will tell how fans of the game and watchers of the lawsuit will take it. One thing is certain though: this legal drama isn’t over yet.
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