Indie Game Developers Get Edge-y
Tim Langdell of EDGE Games is a bit of a trademark troll. He waits for a game with "Edge" in the title to be a financial success, then springs a claim to ownership to all uses of the word "Edge" in a videogame title, and demanding a portion of the game's profits. EA's Mirror's Edge is still in litigation on the trademark, meanwhile the PS3 RPG Cross Edge has been completely ignored, likely due to lackluster sales for Langdell to prey upon. The hit iPhone game Edge was removed from the app store twice at Langdell's request before finally reappearing with the new name Edge by Mobigame. Langdell's latest target, iPhone game Killer Edge Racing, is especially interesting since shortly after the game's removal from the app store Langdell applied to register his own trademark on the very same name (presumably in a bid to block the game from returning).
This seems to have been the last straw for indie game developers, who have banded together in the most amusing way possible. As of this writing I've seen 22 indie developers that have either announced a renaming of their existing games or brand new ones simply to include the word "edge" in the title. Some personal favorites are Fedge, Canabedge, Critter Credge, rEDGEonance, And Edge it Moves, Edge Yes, Not So Octopus, and of course the pictured Edgeward McEdgington.
Admittedly, most of these game name changes are meant in jest (though Canabedge and Edge Yes, Not So Octopus are fully functional games), but it is uncanny how quickly this movement built up. Will this unconventional faux-protest actually have any effect and shame Tim Langdell into relenting his crusade against games using the word "Edge?" Considering that Langdell's legal trolling forced him to step down from the International Game Developers Association board, and he is still going at it, not likely. But maybe, just maybe, a unified group of game developers could have an impact. I'm sure Miles Edgeworth would take the case.
Langdell Troll Day [TIG Source]
Edgeward McEdgington [Art and Game Development]
NaviFairy
Posted to Video Games on 12 November 2009
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Other stuff like this: edge, hilarious, indie games, Tim Landgdell, troll
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