The Dark Below Removed from the European Trademark Database [updated]

[Xeraxis]

Pretty much just on fan sites already dedicated to WoW.


Also, searching through the European Trademark database... Blizzard has owned the Trademark on "Noobz" since 2009. Interesting.

You don't think that there are players on these websites that don't currently play? Who may just believe that Blizzard has announced something and head to the Blizzard website for more info then possibly be enticed by some of the features/changes that have been added since their departure? Also Noobz is a toy-line, or action figure if you're insecure like that.

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Anyway... You must also look at the filing information on "the Dark Below" (From FRKelly.) It matches up with all of Blizzard's other filings, including "Cute but Deadly," "Wrath of the Lich King," "Wings of Liberty" and the others.

So unless someone figured out how to not only gag file this trademark, but also gag file underneath the name of an intellectual property law firm, "The Dark Below" seems to indeed be Blizzard's.

Please read the entire thread before assuming that you can not import data from one trademark filing to a new one for the application process.

[Kaleredar]

You don't think that there are players on these websites that don't currently play? Who may just believe that Blizzard has announced something and head to the Blizzard website for more info then possibly be enticed by some of the features/changes that have been added since their departure? Also Noobz is a toy-line, or action figure if you're insecure like that.

All I said was "interesting." Hostile much?

Please read the entire thread before assuming that you can not import data from one trademark filing to a new one for the application process.

I'm not going to read 57 pages in search of one tidbit of information, especially one that, from your cursory description, doesn't seem to placate my observation.

[Xeraxis]

All I said was "interesting." Hostile much?

Not hostile at all.

I'm not going to read 57 pages in search of one tidbit of information.

It's usually best to do your homework before assuming you are correct.

[Kaleredar]

It's usually best to do your homework before assuming you are correct.

Your "solution" is tantamount to a teacher dropping a textbook on your desk and saying "something in here will be on the test. Good luck."

[xinjun]

Anyway. It's pretty much been like this every time. Something gets trademarked or leaked, Blizz dances around without giving any answers at all, and fansites have been known to help them with the coverup.

[TJkroz]

They really should bring forth some MAJOR classic lore elements/characters NOW to try combat the lowering subs. You may like MoP but for many people "Pandaland" was a turn off. Yet another expansion without something deeply rooted in pre-WoW lore archs will be a problem.

Chen Stormstout is Pre-WoW, as is his race and homeland. We just didn't see any of it (his homeland) until this xpac.

[Beergod]

Chen Stormstout is Pre-WoW, as is his race and homeland. We just didn't see any of it (his homeland) until this xpac.

But it started out as a joke, or scratch that, some drawing that Samwise did.

[Hitei]

Your "solution" is tantamount to a teacher dropping a textbook on your desk and saying "something in here will be on the test. Good luck."

Actually, it's more like you showing up to a test without having shown up to class and then being surprised when you failed.

[Deleted]

Yeah. They were a joke. But still Chen as a PANDAREN is written into the Rexxar/Thrall/etc.. part, right? He was there, he helped, he was a Pandaren Hero that helped Thrall's Horde get rid of Proudmoore. He is there. So there is at least one "Panda"/Pandaren right there being involved with something important Pre-WoW. And since a Pandaren has to come from somewhere, where he was born and stuff, there at least would be a reason for Shenzin-Su. So: Now since he' there and Chen's there you can just shout out that Pandaland was there too and it was. It doesn't actually need to be mentioned anywhere with every fucking detail. Chen's there and logically that's enough to prove it.

[Kaleredar]

Actually, it's more like you showing up to a test without having shown up to class and then being surprised when you failed.

I already said I'm not going to peruse 57 pages of posts that swing wildly in and out of relevancy to the topic at hand for one piece of information that may or may not be applicable to what I'm actually contending. I mean, look at the posts above mine. People arguing about Pandaren. Totally relevant to European Trademark and Copyright law, right?

And if it's such common knowledge, I'm quite surprised no one has quipped up with "no, you're wrong because of X Y and Z, based on this legal documentation" It's all just been "somewhere in this thread... there's an answer! And it'll show you!"

[Durandro]

But it started out as a joke, or scratch that, some drawing that Samwise did.

Dwarves, Gnomes and Goblins were all treated like a joke in Warcraft 2 as well.

Your point?

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They really should bring forth some MAJOR classic lore elements/characters NOW to try combat the lowering subs. You may like MoP but for many people "Pandaland" was a turn off. Yet another expansion without something deeply rooted in pre-WoW lore archs will be a problem.

I see it as cutting the fat, personally. If people can't see past the superficial and prejudge, then they probably are toxic to the community.

Not to mention the previous expansion was about Deathwing and the Twilight Hammer, along with Ragnaros and the other Elemental Lords. How did that turn out for a lot of people again?

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Corgi's unleashed never actually showed up in the trademark database, though. It was just an unfiled application. This one is filed and in process.

At the time Boub leaked it there was no filing for TDB either.

But now there's a filing.

[Beergod]

Dwarves, Gnomes and Goblins were all treated like a joke in Warcraft 2 as well.

Your point?

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I see it as cutting the fat, personally. If people can't see past the superficial and prejudge, then they probably are toxic to the community.

Not to mention the previous expansion was about Deathwing and the Twilight Hammer, along with Ragnaros and the other Elemental Lords. How did that turn out for a lot of people again?

My point being that it was never really considered to be in WoW since there was so little lore involved in WC3, Gnomes, Dwarves and Goblins played a bigger part than Pandaren in the WC games.

[xinjun]

It was leaked on the 13th and the application date says the 14th. So I suppose it still could be a copycat troll. I still find it highly suspect that people who work for a very well-known site and deal with this kind of thing all the time would have posted so hastily without a credible source. But, whatever, time will tell

[D4NNYB0Y]

It was leaked on the 13th and the application date says the 14th. So I suppose it still could be a copycat troll. I still find it highly suspect that people who work for a very well-known site and deal with this kind of thing all the time would have posted so hastily without a credible source. But, whatever, time will tell

There is a delay b/w filing and the application being entered into the searchable database. This is true for both the USPTO and the OHIM.

[Dispersedshadow]

I already said I'm not going to peruse 57 pages of posts that swing wildly in and out of relevancy to the topic at hand for one piece of information that may or may not be applicable to what I'm actually contending. I mean, look at the posts above mine. People arguing about Pandaren. Totally relevant to European Trademark and Copyright law, right?

Your contention (if I understand it correctly) doesn't have anything to do with the law. It has to do with the similarity of the filing information. The publicly available filing information we are all comparing online. Any (alleged) hoaxer worth his salt would be expected to view these same publicly visible trademark filings to develop his (alleged) hoax filing. So the fact that the information matches doesn't really move the dial any closer to either camp.

[D4NNYB0Y]

It's only passed formalities (which checks that the users information is correct which if the trademark data was imported would be correct) and classification which it has the classes of 9 and 41. Neither of those require Blizzard to submit any information proving that it is Blizzard who filed it. At this point the attorney has been notified to see if it is a valid claim and whatever funds were used to pay the application fee has been submitted to either the card issuer for approval or a hold placed on the account in which a bank to bank transfer was conducted. I'm not saying it is or is not a hoax but at this moment it is still way too early to tell for certain either way.

It has also passed Searches which according to this:

http://oami.europa.eu/en/database/tm..._euro.htm#1320

and this:

http://oami.europa.eu/ows/rw/pages/C...gProcess.en.do

comes after Absolute Grounds.

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As to why they filed the trademark now, I imagine it has to do with the Madrid Protocol, how long it takes for a trademark application to finish the examination process (a long time, on average at least 7 months according to the USPTO's website), Blizzcon, and their planned release date for the next expansion.

Or they wanted us to find it, it's an incredibly low cost way for them to generate hype and start marketing their next work, and we'll all be receiving a Corgi companion pet in our mailbox after Blizzcon. (Which has already been datamined on the PTR btw.)

I should also reiterate that just filing for the tm establishes Seniority and Priority for 2 months in the given system. I would think they would have already taken care of that for the mark via the Madrid Protocol though.

[Deleted]

Your contention (if I understand it correctly) doesn't have anything to do with the law. It has to do with the similarity of the filing information. The publicly available filing information we are all comparing online. Any (alleged) hoaxer worth his salt would be expected to view these same publicly visible trademark filings to develop his (alleged) hoax filing. So the fact that the information matches doesn't really move the dial any closer to either camp.

Surely, in a trademark application, one of the first things the company will do is then contact the person using the information they provided. Seems incredibly sensible to me. So some person, Blizzard rep or otherwise files a trademark with Blizzards info. The Trademark office then uses those contact details to verify it. If it's fake... they would find out very quickly, if it's legit it stays. I don't understand all these back and forth arguments about it being fake or not. I assume the process is similar to what i just wrote, in which case they should know if it's fake or not by now.

Like please tell me i lack common sense or something because it really seems simple to me. They Absolutely would have contacted the Blizzard rep by now. In which case, it's legit? Also the post above me says this. People will argue about the process saying ' oh, that doesn't mean it's verified'. Sorry, using common sense for a second surely it takes 5 seconds for the trademark guys to determine it's validity.

[Kaleredar]

Your contention (if I understand it correctly) doesn't have anything to do with the law. It has to do with the similarity of the filing information. The publicly available filing information we are all comparing online. Any (alleged) hoaxer worth his salt would be expected to view these same publicly visible trademark filings to develop his (alleged) hoax filing. So the fact that the information matches doesn't really move the dial any closer to either camp.

How, though, did they loop the firm into this? I read up quite a bit on OHIM's website regarding applications... First and foremost, they actually check to see if the Application is indeed from who the application SAYS it's from in the examination process, and if their representatives are indeed representing them. Second, businesses and entities based outside of the European Union must claim a representative (in this case, FRkelly) I'd think that would offer two no-nonsense roadblocks towards having the application "just sit on the rocks for a while" if either of those avenues came up as dead ends, before the month-long payment deadline would come due, and certainly before Blizzcon roles around.

And furthermore, If it were a hoax, I'd imagine whoever executed it would land themselves in quite a bit of hot water for misrepresenting both Blizzard and the intellectual property trademark firm.

[Deleted]

How, though, did they loop the firm into this? I read up quite a bit on OHIM's website regarding applications... First and foremost, they actually check to see if the Application is indeed from who the application SAYS it's from in the examination process, and if their representatives are indeed representing them. Second, businesses and entities based outside of the European Union must claim a representative (in this case, FRkelly) I'd think that would offer two no-nonsense roadblocks in having the application approved if either of those avenues came up as dead ends, before the month-long payment deadline would come due, and certainly before Blizzcon roles around.

And furthermore, If it were a hoax, I'd imagine whoever executed it would land themselves in quite a bit of hot water for misrepresenting both Blizzard and the intellectual property trademark firm.

Yes, indeed, and i wish people would read your post and mine and just use some logical thinking before trying to debunk it. The FIRST they they would do is verify it. Simple, and easy. It's still there, it's not fake.