MadOnion Pwns U!

This is in reference to a story that Terry posted this weekend about MadOnion, er Futuremark and it applying for a trademark on the word “Pwnage.” Futuremark let us know that Futuremark Games Studio’s Jukka Makinen had made a post in regards to this.

Fellow gamers,

Our purpose in filing for trademark on the name "Pwnage" is not to charge money or stop people from using the expression. That's not what a trademark is for. Instead, we want to protect ourselves from squatters (or what I call campers) - people looking to trademark the name on false pretenses, just to make a claim against Futuremark Games Studio for its use.

Jukka Mäkinen, Executive Producer, Futuremark Games Studio

That is nice to know since there is no way in hell Futuremark or its gaming studios can charge you a damn thing to begin with for using a term that BELONGS TO THE COMMUNITY. There is no doubt in my mind that should even a little bit of legal resistance be given to the trademark application, that it could be defeated. Futuremark has made a business out of selling YOUR information about YOUR computers for years now. It does not surprise me that they now think they should have legal right to a commonly used word in the enthusiast and gaming communities. Their rationale of trade marking it before the “bad guys” do is bullshit on its best day. Futuremark plans to use the term in an upcoming title, it wants to protect "its property," and it is that simple. It intends to profit from this commonly used term. At least if you can’t be original, do not try to own what is community property. I am sure the uninformed at the patent office will not identify this unless the mark is disputed. So take that and “suck it down.” Maybe this makes another top 25 dumbest moments in gaming? And no, I am not going to pay John “my bitch” Romero for typing that.

And this is far from the first time we have seen Futuremark do something stupid.

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