Company rights

VolontaArts

hey everyone, quick question about when you release your game... lets say your game/ap "Angry Birds" when you release it to the app store... what steps should you take to avoid your "name" being taken for merchandising.

like i realized no one ever talks about there game getting big enough to make money outside the ap store, but if it does wouldnt it be smart to protect what we put out there? rather then just publish it out there?

KevinCross

You could always trademark it, not sure what it'll cost to do in the US. You have to pay for each industry/sector you want to protect it in though.

VolontaArts

@kevincross hmm will do that, was just wondering if anyone else did ...thanks.

quantumsheep

I registered the name at Companies House in the UK.

Basically, you can't use the same name as an existing company in the same field. So no other games company can be called 'Quantum Sheep'.

If you set up a Florist called 'Quantum Sheep', that would be fine. If a bit confusing!

Hope that helps!

QS =D

lycettebros

Each country is different for trademarking Company names and product names. There should be an agency online for the Government that handles all that. Trademarking in one country does not protect it in another unless you globally trademark it and that takes time and a lot of money.
Starting with a company name locally is a good start.

KevinCross

@kevincross hmm will do that, was just wondering if anyone else did ...thanks.

I wouldn't bother unless I was confident it was going to be a success or it was becoming a success, and the most I'll do is register it in one or two industries/sectors. At least until it was as big as Angry Birds and I was rich enough to do spread the protection/trademark further.