Gods and Monsters Name Changed Over Legal Issues
Despite the fact that Monster Energy has had a place in the gaming industry for a while now, Ubisoft and Monster Energy recently clashed over the name of their upcoming game, Gods and Monsters. Apparently when Ubisoft registered their trademark for Gods and Monsters, Monster Energy opposed it and claimed it would cause confusion with nearly all of their trademarks. Gods and Monsters is now known as Immortals Fenyx Rising and it’s releasing on December 3rd for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC, and Google Stadia.
“Opposer will be damaged by registration of the Applications in that Applicant’s Mark so resembles Opposer’s MONSTER Marks,” said Monster Energy in a recent statement. “Including as registered in the PTO [Patent and Trademark Office], and in which Opposer owns common law trademark rights, as to be likely, when used on or in connection with Applicant’s goods and services, as to cause confusion, or to cause mistake or to deceive.” Basically, Monster Energy is concerned that some customers will confuse Gods and Monsters as a Monster Energy product rather than a Ubisoft product.
At one point in their filing, Monster Energy claimed that the marks used in the Monster Energy logo are famous, but Ubisoft disputed this fact when responding to the trademark opposition. While people who see the marks may identify them as the Monster Energy logo, they’re not quite a famous design given the simplistic nature resembling other unrelated marks. Apparently Ubisoft and Monster Energy reached a settlement over Gods and Monsters this summer and the Ubisoft title is now known as Immortals Fenyx Rising.
Are you surprised that Monster Energy disputed Ubisoft’s Gods and Monsters name? Let us know in the comments below!