'GTA and Alan Wake Creators Spar Over Use of 'R' [Update]

• Trademark dispute between Remedy Entertainment and Take-Two Interactive resolved amicably in 2023.
• Alan Wake 2 expands on the 'Remedy-Verse', question on whether to play its prequel.
• Dispute arose from Remedy's new logo design, similar to Rockstar Games' logo.
• Concerns about consumer confusion between the two logos.
• Take-Two Interactive's previous legal action against Hazelight Studios in 2021.

Trademark Dispute Between Remedy Entertainment and Take-Two Interactive Resolved

A side-by-side comparison image of two gaming giants' "R" logos shows Rockstar Games' logo on the left and Remedy Entertainment's logo on the right. Update: As of 11:45 a.m. ET on November 18, 2023, a representative from Remedy Entertainment confirmed that the trademark dispute with Take-Two Interactive, the publisher behind Grand Theft Auto, was "resolved entirely and amicably late last year."

Watch: How Alan Wake 2 Builds Upon The 'Remedy-Verse'

Here's a video on how Alan Wake 2 expands on the 'Remedy-Verse'. English subtitles available. Share this video on Facebook, Twitter, Email, or Reddit.

Is Alan Wake Worth Playing Before Its Sequel?

Recall: Is it worth it to play Alan Wake before its sequel? Published on October 26, 2023. Also, should you play Grand Theft Auto III before GTA VI? Published on January 9, 2024.

Trademark Dispute Formality

"The legal filing was simply an initial formality, and Remedy and Take-Two continue to work together in partnership," the representative concluded.

The Legal Dispute

Two gaming giants, the GTA publisher Take-Two Interactive and Alan Wake developer Remedy Entertainment, were involved in a trademark dispute over Remedy Entertainment’s new logo design. As reported, Take-Two Interactive filed two trademark disputes against Remedy Entertainment back in May 2023.

Logo Confusion

Remedy’s logo, a stylized “R” that looks like it’s been cut three times, was revealed in April 2023 and aimed to signify a new era for the Finland-based developer. Take-Two Interactive claimed that Remedy Entertainment’s new design creates “a likelihood of confusion on the part of the public” with Rockstar Games, creators of the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series.

Consumer Clarity

Canadian lawyer Haley MacLean, with the firm Voyer Law, stated that the concern is whether consumers can easily tell the difference between the two logos. "With this ‘average consumer’ in mind, the question is would this legally fictitious person be confused between the Rockstar ‘R’ with the added star and the Remedy logo with the repeating ‘R’ design,” MacLean explains.

Previous Legal Actions

This isn’t the first time Take-Two Interactive has pursued legal action to protect its trademarks. Back in December 2021, the publisher pursued a similar trademark claim against indie studio Hazelight Studios over the developer’s hit 2021 puzzle-platformer It Takes Two.

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