Edge For iPhone Controversy Rumbles On—Game Again Pulled From App Store
3:16 am, July 16th, 2009, Craig Grannell
UPDATE 2: Edge Lite’s now also gone. Some stores report Edge still available, but it’s certainly not on the US or UK stores. I guess Killer Edge Racing had better watch out, given that Langdell’s website has a Flash movie for the game Racers (which we suspect will never see the light of day).
UPDATE: At the time of writing, Edge Lite remains on the App Store, carrying an irony stick. So either someone missed the lite version or it really is all about the money. Which would be a huge shock, obviously.
We yesterday reported on the feud between Mobigame, makers of excellent iPhone game Edge, and EDGE Games, a company owned by Tim Langdell, who seemingly claims ownership over the word ‘edge’ in relation to any kind of gaming.
Edge by Mobigame - now no longer available from your local App Store
As stated yesterday, this ongoing battle has raged since April, and although compromises have apparently been suggested by both sides (indeed, Mobigames offered to rename their game Edgy, but Langdell then almost immediately registered that trademark himself), no agreement has been reached. More absurdly, Langdell contests that Edge wilfully ripped off ancient EDGE 8-bit videogame Bobby Bearing (and named it Edge to suggest the name of Langdell’s ‘famous’ trademark!), despite that game being a clone of Marble Madness and Edge playing almost nothing like Bobby Bearing.
Sadly, Edge is now again gone from the App Store, seemingly removed without warning (unlike the first time round, when Mobigame temporarily pulled the game voluntarily, in the hope of coming to a satisfactory agreement with Langdell).
Mobigame’s David Papazian told Cult of Mac: “We did not pull it. We don’t know exactly why it has been pulled [and] we don’t know if the game will come back. Maybe it will in some territories, but it does not depend on us. We are as surprised as many people, I think.”
“Making Edge took nearly two years of our lives, We hope the happy few who played it had a great time. We don’t know what to do now, and we cannot believe this is really happening. But we will probably have to fight since we strongly believe the law is on our side.”
Posted by Craig Grannell in Gaming, News, iPhone | Comment on this article
Wow. Just get over yourselves. Take a shower, apply the douche so you guy’s pussy willows don’t hurt no more, and get over it. I’m sick and tired, and tired and sick!, of hearing crap like this. I claim the word Edge, no I do do!! Waaaaaaaa!!!!
Frakkin babies, man.
Wayne, on July 16th, 2009 at 3:45 am
Wayne, you’ve missed the point! The cry-baby over the name is winning here! You’re directing your opprobrium at the wrong party. “get over yourselves” is insulting to the game developer whose app has been pulled–and is getting screwed by Apple and the real whiner.
robinson, on July 16th, 2009 at 9:07 am
Wayne uses the same kind of “logic” that attempts to makes Palestinians and Israelis equally guilty, even though the evidence overwhelmingly incriminates the Palestinians. If you don’t care, that’s fine; if you can’t be bothered to read the article, that’s fine; but to post “logic” demonstrating your ignorance? That’s priceless.
InRussetShadows, on July 16th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Mm. @Wayne does seem to have spectacularly missed the point, or just doesn’t care about indie devs being trampled into the ground by developers.
In another twist, it appears Edge Lite is still on the App Store, so it really is all about the money.
Craig Grannell, on July 17th, 2009 at 1:27 am
In fact , the full version of edge is also back now, that “pull off” only lasted for about one day.
Randomguy, on July 17th, 2009 at 2:24 am
@Randomguy: Which store is the app back on? I’ve just searched the UK and US stores, and both show Edge Lite, but Edge remains absent.
Craig Grannell, on July 17th, 2009 at 5:50 am
The developer is getting screwed? Wake up people!!
Perhaps you’d like a bowl of General Mills new “Kellogg” cereal?
How about McDonald’s new King Burger sandwich?
or best of all,
Dell introduces the new Optiplex Apple! (That ought to get your attention.) Heck, Apple even dropped “Computer” from their name, so it’s okay, isn’t it?
You can’t use someone else’s trademark, especially on related products. Dodge can use Magnum and Chevy Beretta because a reasonable person doesn’t make a connection between a car and a firearm. Subaru didn’t just create the Outback L.L. Bean, they had to license the name. You won’t see a Dodge Midas. Just think of the harm that would do if they put substandard mufflers on the car.
Edge Games owns the trademark. The game Edge (mis)appropriates the name without permission. Intentional or not, they are or can trade on someone else’s property. And if the game sucks or it damages the iPhone, it harms Edge Games’ reputation. It’s simply not allowed.
imajoebob, on July 17th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Is Mobigame’s Edge the main app getting hit right now on the App Store? A search for ‘edge’ on the store pulls app several other apps, some with the name edge that aren’t games (EDGE gay news reader), and some that are games (Killer Edge Racing), and even some companies with Edge in the name (My Edge Software, LLC and Smooth Edge Design). Where’s Langdell on all trademark issues with these apps? Or for that matter, why hasn’t he sued SEGA for their Sonic the Hedgehog? It has the word edge in it….
jfen, on July 17th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Trademarks exist to avoid confusion. No-one would have confused Edge with a videogame software company that’s done almost nothing for years. And arguing that Edge was playing the passing-off game in relation to Bobby Bearing is just absurd. Also, as noted, Edge Games has dealt with this in a despicable manner, and that’s the problem we (and most others) have. Sitting on a indie dev association board and hounding an indie dev, then buying a mark when the indie suggested a name change (while playing the obfuscation line with the likes of Mirror’s Edge)… Langdell might just be on the right side of the law, but that doesn’t make what he’s doing in any way right.
As for “if the game sucks or it damages the iPhone, it harms Edge Games’ reputation”, what reputation? A reputation for lawsuits? And even if you take into account games, Edge is better than anything I’ve played by Edge Games, from the 1980s through to today.
Craig Grannell, on July 17th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Edge is the most high-profile case, since Mobigame decided to make public what was going on (including Langdell’s initial approach, which was basically to demand money). We’ve been informed that at least one other iPhone indie dev is currently seeking legal council for similar reasons. For me, the ‘Edgy’ episode and the accusations regarding Bobby Bearing is what pushed this from being an iffy trademark dispute to an absurdist pissing contest.
Craig Grannell, on July 17th, 2009 at 10:14 am
@Craig, you may hve a simple solution right there: Rename it “Edgy.” Or better, use an odd spelling (Edje), phonetic (|ej|), or as a poke in the eye: Egde (or a hot poker in the eye: Langdel). weird spelling always ben a successful way to avoid problems, and make it easy to extend the brand. It’s the reason we now have that god-awful Syfy channel. They could only trademark the SciFi name for television – not books, clothing, or other products they want to sell.
Langdell may think he’s clever, but he’s put himself in a box. He can’t protect a generic word outside of his specific business. If he defined the trademark too broadly, someone with a little bit of money can get it revoked. If someone with serious money wants the name, they can easily break it and prevent HIM from using it.
Karma can be a bitch.
imajoebob, on July 18th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
@imajoebob: As noted in one of my articles, the name ‘Edgy’ was proposed as a compromise by Mobigame, after which point Langdell went out and trademarked that word and claimed Mobigame were still trying to ‘pass off’ with its production. He claims any variation whatsoever of Edge, including words similar to it, isn’t good enough, and even if the game name was changed to Mr Bunny’s Happy Safari, Langdell aims to continue litigation, pursuing damages.
As for protecting a mark, Langdell would have more clout if he actually used his. If, for example, Mobigame had created a game called “The Electronic Arts – The EA Mobile Game”, we’d be calling them idiots and consider EA in the right. With Edge Games, however, there’s barely any hint that the mark has been used at allâ€â€bar in litigationâ€â€since the 1990s, and the vast majority of Edge Games output happened before 1990, mostly on 8- and 16-bit platforms.
It’ll be interesting to see where things go from here. It seems by harassing Edge Games, Langdell has stirred up a hornets’ nest, and this time may well have picked the wrong target. You’ve now even got someome compiling a page about his actions, usable as reference for future legal battles (and showing artwork that, according to many people, has been doctored). Here’s hoping an intelligent judge strips him of the mark.
Craig Grannell, on July 20th, 2009 at 5:45 am
Europe / Netherlands / Edge available in appstore as I type!
I really think they should revoke his IGDA membership
Herman van Boeijen, on July 20th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Edge Lite no longer available in the US.
I’m very glad I bought the full version while I still could!
Max, on July 20th, 2009 at 11:36 am
[...] UPDATE 2: At the time of writing (10:51 GMT+1), EDGE has now been pulled—again—from the App Store, this time on a worldwide basis. We now have a fuller story on this development. [...]
Tim Langdell Still Being A Jerk—Resues Edge iPhone Game Maker Over Rights Issues | Cult of Mac, on July 24th, 2009 at 3:03 am
This story highlights a major problem we are experiencing with “copyright” and the whole intellectual property thing. I work for a major game company and we always have to put every term, title and in-game term through our legal dept. before we can use them. As an example, we had to re-name “hula-hoop” recently because the name is “owned” by Wham-O. It’s all gone too far!
The way we are going, there will be no names and no words left to use at all in another ten years! It’s stupid and it’s all about GREED, it’s mine, I want your money because I own that word! Makes me feel sick!
Robleokin, on July 28th, 2009 at 5:16 am