[MusicallyInspired]

But...why?

(re: trademark abandonment)

[The Battlelord]

Ridiculous... Exception for the "similar" name (NOT the SAME, ffs) this is like to say that a metalhead and his guitars is similar to Rambo and his guns and both do the SAME thing...
Do they at least watched the trailer? (assuming that they weren't under drugs effect too).

[Zaxx]

Well, title change incoming I guess. That sucks, I liked Ion Maiden, now it's going to be "Bombshell something".

[HulkNukem]

Keep the theme and name it after another weapon from Bombshell

3DRealms presents: Loverboy 3D

[Forge]

Shelly shells cyborgs by the sea shore

[Zaxx]

HulkNukem, on 29 May 2019 - 09:06 PM, said:

Keep the theme and name it after another weapon from Bombshell

3DRealms presents: Loverboy 3D

Prepares for a trademark lawsuit: Naughty America.

[Zaxx]

Anyway how about "Bombshell 3D"?

[xMobilemux]

I wonder how this will affect the Founders Editions if they have to change it.

May as well cancel mine.

[Danukem]

It's a lame and unfortunate suit. It's not like anyone is going accidentally by the game instead of an Iron Maiden album because they made a typo when searching. But honestly, there's a hundred other good names out there which would provide people with a better sense of what the game is than "Ion Maiden". It's not like ions, or being a maiden, are integral to the game. It was just a cute name because it sounded like "Iron Maiden" and still fit, sort of. My advice: Give it a few days for gaming sites to cover the news and bring attention to the game, then change the name.

[Aristotle Gumball]

It's a blessing in disguise if this can get attention for the game. Controversy like it's the late 90s again.

[OpenMaw]

thricecursed, on 29 May 2019 - 10:47 PM, said:

It's a blessing in disguise if this can get attention for the game. Controversy like it's the late 90s again.

Except if it does money damage to Voidpoint and 3D Realms. They aren't exactly swimming in money.

[Zaxx]

Commando Nukem, on 29 May 2019 - 10:57 PM, said:

Except if it does money damage to Voidpoint and 3D Realms. They aren't exactly swimming in money.

That's why I expect a title change. When it comes to this stuff even if there is only a tiny little piece of logic behind a suit usually the more powerful party wins (= the one who has more money).

Some financial damage is surely coming to 3DR since they'd have to rebrand stuff, change the packaging for the limited boxed releases and stuff like that but fighting Iron Maiden's claims would lead to much, much worse I think.

[Mr. Tibbs]

3D Realms statement on the lawsuit:

Quote

We’ve recently heard about a lawsuit filed in California by the band Iron Maiden, claiming our old-school first-person shooter Ion Maiden is infringing on their trademark. From what we’ve heard, the suit claims our main character, Shelly Harrison, originally debuting in 2016’s Bombshell, is based on their musician Steve Harris; our skull bomb icon found in-game is based on their skeleton mascot Eddie; our logo in itself is based on theirs; and other frivolous claims anyone who has played Ion Maiden would find more over the top than Shelly’s “Loverboy”, her signature 18-round triple-barreled revolver. We at 3D Realms, our co-publishers 1C Entertainment, and developer Voidpoint will review our options once we receive official notice of the lawsuit and will make any necessary decisions at the appropriate time.

Regardless, everyone continues to work diligently on Ion Maiden to deliver the best possible experience later this year.

[NightFright]

I really hope the game won't have to be renamed when approaching its release date. It's annoying that these days there seems to be a certain tendency to feel offended by pretty much anything. Certainly, the two names are very similar, but that's where it actually already ends for me.

Good luck to 3DR and Voidpoint to get through this ordeal as unscathed as possible. Fingers crossed some kind of settlement can be reached quickly.

[Aristotle Gumball]

The financial damage might be offset by any added publicity, if it results in sales, etc. But all this is just theorizing, we have no clue what will happen. I also am curious why that trademark says abandoned in Jan. 08.

[Doom64hunter]

My current favourite, should a namechange become necessary, would be "Mayhem Mistress" or "Mistress Mayhem", whatever order you prefer.
Neither appear to be trademarked.

Edit: Actually, scratch that, someone on the 3DRealms Discord came up with "Shrapnel" which sounds way better.

[Jblade]

Shrapnel is pretty damn good, it gets my counts for nothing vote.

[Doom64hunter]

"Shrapnel Siren" is also a good candidate if you want to keep the female touch in the title.

[Sledgehammer]

American copyright system is really bullshit. I guess if Guilty Gear wasn't Japanese game Iron Maiden and other bands would sue the series to death because it has shitton of heavy metal references including Iron Maiden (and by saying shitton I really mean it).

If I ever bother with Iron Maiden stuff I will pirate it and I hope they lose the law suit. Putting simple references in games should not be prohibited by the law in America or around the world.

[Sanek]

[Newken]

My pick: "Shelly Harrison's Ion Maiden Experience"

[Sanek]

Doom64hunter, on 30 May 2019 - 01:41 AM, said:

"Shrapnel Siren"

How about "Shrapnel Shelly"?


Anyway, the whole thing sucks. All the luck to VP and 3DR! Like stated above, the controversy means more publicity; but I doubt that 3DR will be OK financially if they'll pay that 2 million bucks after all. Not to mention the lawyer fees.

[Mark]

Change from "Ion Maiden" to "Fe Maiden". Fe being the atomic symbol for iron.
Then in court present as evidence that 19 out of 20 millenials didn't know that. No confusion between brands. Case closed. Just joking of course.

[brullov]

Fuck off Iron Maiden

[Radar]

I don't mind a rename if it's the cheapest and least-damaging option for 3DR. It will still be the same game in the end. Even Duke Nukum got a name change, and he's still our favorite hero.

[MusicallyInspired]

The initial change from "Nukem" to "Nukum" was as minute as "Iron" to "Ion."

[Micky C]

MusicallyInspired, on 30 May 2019 - 04:40 AM, said:

The initial change from "Nukem" to "Nukem" was as minute as "Iron" to "Ion."

You mean Nukum?

Otherwise that change really was minute

[Master O]

Ion Maiden devs:

Is this lawsuit going to significantly delay the full release for Ion Maiden?

[Aristotle Gumball]

Sanek, on 30 May 2019 - 03:39 AM, said:

How about "Shrapnel Shelly"?

Lol, that would work for a RR sequel. Very hillbilly-esque.

[Kristian Joensen]

A rename and corresponding changes to the logo and marketing might appease the band as far as trademark infringement goes but the claims concerning the character and weapon are different.