MoP Filing From A Trademark Attorney's Point of View

[Masozally]

and whats with all the panda hate it you dont like them dont play them problem solved but i doubt they will be a playable char.

[Feral Camel]

I do love reading wow related speculations.
I've enjoyed each expansion so far. MoP does not really grab me (the name) but regardless i'm looking forward whatever they bring out next.

(IMO) I don't think it will be an xpac. I'll be happy if i'm wrong though, I'm sure ill have fan playing / reading the hate about it!

[ElAmigo]

It was theorized to be the third installment in a highly coveted series given the name, not just a random video game. We're not talking Call of Duty 7 here, it was news more along the lines of what Warcraft 4 might mean.

Yes I've heard of Chrono Trigger and the sorts but when Blizz announce that they're headed for a new schedule in releasing expansions and then trademark something that has all the characteristics of an expansion to that game several months before the date they are supposed to announce it, discuss it, etc. It seems rather stupid to deny that it is the name for the next expansion. Sure square trademarked a title for a game that they were possibly going to release but that is totally different than trade marketing the title to an expansion of an ongoing game.

[Seramore]

Except I've seen you denying it happening in other threads so.....yeah.

And to Imadraenei, trademarking an expansion that they are due to announce in a couple of months and trademarking a random video game are in my eyes, two totally different things.

Then you would know that in each thread I've always mentioned that I'm not denying the possibility, I'm denying the people who say that it will absolutely happen and the people who disagree are ignorant.

[Kharli]

Mmhm. And they're totally gonna make 4.3 last for 2 years. Or will blizzard for the first time ever NOT announce the expansion at Blizzcon? Maybe E3? Wait, Blizz doesn't go to conventions aside for Gamescon and Blizzcon.

meh they go to Gamex here in sweden, they were here last year :P

[Cronos]

Then you would know that in each thread I've always mentioned that I'm not denying the possibility, I'm denying the people who say that it will absolutely happen and the people who disagree are ignorant.

I've seen your posts in some other threads, and even while you say you posted is true (as far as I've seen) you also said people had no proof. Which is not precisely accurate, since the trademark is proof that there is going to be a game called "Mists of Pandaria" which is far more solid than the panda hate the Anti-Mists of Pandaria posters have shown.

Note that I'm not saying that the trademark is 100% proof or anything, just saying that it provides a more solid ground of speculation (if there is anything like that)

[Raxxed]

No proof from BLIZZARD for it being, or not being. just wait.

[Masozally]

No proof from BLIZZARD for it being, or not being. just wait.

that statement is untrue there is proof both ways just not enough to make a final and exact decision

[Seramore]

that statement is untrue there is proof both ways just not enough to make a final and exact decision

No, that statement is 100% true. Blizzard has not confirmed that Mists of Pandaria is the next expansion.

[Masozally]

nor have the 100% denied it. so its not true

[Zamfix]

I will bet my posting privileges that Mists of Pandaria is NOT the next WoW expansion.

If it is, then I won't be playing anyway so I won't care if I can't post.

[Seramore]

nor have the 100% denied it. so its not true

Misinterpretation at its finest. Do you know what confirmation means? They barely even commented on it. What the guy said isn't even denying it, he simply avoided the question.

[Masozally]

Misinterpretation at its finest. Do you know what confirmation means? They barely even commented on it. What the guy said isn't even denying it, he simply avoided the question.

Hmmmm pot calling the kettle black

[lordjust]

Misinterpretation at its finest. Do you know what confirmation means? They barely even commented on it. What the guy said isn't even denying it, he simply avoided the question.

The only comment they did towards Mists of Pandaria was that they confirmed that they registered the trademark and that they can give no further informations about it. The next question they answered was if they plan to bring pandaren into wow and they answered that in the past all pandaren related was just for fun because there is no real lore for the pandaren in wow and as long as there isn't lore in wow for them they won't bring them into wow.

As for MoP beeing the next expansion pack. There are more indicators that it will be the next expansion pack than that it won't be. If you don't think that it will be the next expansion pack then make a real argument and tell us exactly what indicates that it won't be it because all i read from everyone who thinks that it is something different is just "I don't like pandas" and nothing else. I can tell everybody the indicators which let me think that MoP will be the next xpack.

[Gradywhite]

As for MoP beeing the next expansion pack. There are more indicators that it will be the next expansion pack than that it won't be. If you don't think that it will be the next expansion pack then make a real argument and tell us exactly what indicates that it won't be it because all i read from everyone who thinks that it is something different is just "I don't like pandas" and nothing else. I can tell everybody the indicators which let me think that MoP will be the next xpack.

Well, the true opposition other than the panda-haters isn't really true opposition, it's more open-mindedness to the fact that MoP isn't 100% confirmed to be the expansion. The fact of the matter is, we have no official Blizzard confirmation that MoP will be an expansion, and no confirmation that it isn't. However, it is still equally likely that this MoP title could be used for a mini-game or iOS type game. Considering that Blizzard wasn't exactly happy with the way Cataclysm was leaked months before it was announced, I'm guessing they may try and take some extra precautions with this title release, maybe even waiting until the last minute to trademark a name, like they did for WotLK, which came a mere 6 days before the BlizzCon announcement.

And to those that are saying that another company could steal/trademark the expansion name if Blizzard doesn't trademark it months before their announcement, there are laws and regulations regarding trademarks that state that you actually have to have the intention and materials ready to use the trademark. Blizzard could easily prove that they have the materials for the trademark and override whatever ass-hat that tried to screw Blizzard that most likely has no proof of intention to use the trademark. Despite what some may think, the courts do have some common sense from time to time.

What I'm basically advocating is a little more open-mindedness on the issue, rather than a "PANDAS ARE FACT" stance, because they aren't... yet.

[Berzerkerfury]

Go for it Lordjust, what indicators should we be looking at?

And thank you for the backup Gradywhite.

[esmifra]

1. There's a xpac being announced at blizzcon
2. A trade mark may need several months to be filled.
3. There is only one trademark and is to late to make a new one.
4. Blizz used the same procedure in the past xpacs.

1+2+3+4=MoP is the next expac.

[Deleted]

Although HIGHLY unlikely, imagine if they MoP was a WC3 expansion?

Haha interesting. Would buy it in a heartbeat.

[Deleted]

There's still a possibility that it's a red herring, or some sort of TCG related thing. Either way, unless it's utterly breathtaking I know a large chunk of players on my realm who are rapidly losing their interest in this game. Pandaren started out as a joke and I'd much rather see the current playable races injected with a bit more serious stuff before we get giant panda-men walking about.

Then again, I've always preferred the darker themes within the setting. I love the naga, highborne, Burning Legion, Scourge and Twilight Cult as a result.

[Dragonwing]

Cataclysm was not originally called "Worldbreaker", not in anything I've seen. Before it was officially named it was "WoWx3", as seen in all the concept artwork. Worldbreaker was the name of a TCG expansion set, if that's what the person is thinking.

Also, the Wrath of the Lich King trademark filing was July 28th.
The Mists of Pandaria trademark filing was...? Yes, July 28th.

Blizzcon 2007? August 2. Blizzcon 2011? October 22. Big difference there.