Jesse Saivar

Chair, Intellectual Property & Technology
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Sony’s trademark for The Last Guardian has expired again

February 16, 2015Article
Venture Beat

In 2005, developer Team Ico released its last video game. Nearly 10 years later, things are not looking good for its next release.

The trademark for The Last Guardian has expired, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (via NeoGAF). Sony did not file the necessary paperwork to ensure the continued protection of the title. This comes after nearly eight years of production on The Last Guardian, which follows the adventures of a boy who meets — and must work together with — a gigantic beast of myth. Sony Computer Entertainment has clammed up about The Last Guardian in recent years after continuous reports of delays and even a rumored cancellation. The publisher most recently said that it is “not ready” to talk about the state of the PlayStation 3 game, and it has said nothing about it since. Sony has not shown The Last Guardian in action since 2010. This is the second time the game’s trademark has expired.

The USPTO’s database claims that the trademark was “abandoned because no Statement of Use or Extension Request [was] timely filed after Notice of Allowance was issued.” Basically, Sony has just forgotten about the legal process to ensure ownership of the name.

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