Ubisoft has been using the name “Ghost Recon” since 2001, while EA owns Ghost Games, the studio which has been developing Need For Speed games since 2011. It was unveiled by NeoGaf that Ubisoft had filed a notice of opposition aginst EA’s trademark status on January 29.
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Ubisoft’s move against EA may seem random at first, but it’s likely due to the fact that Ghost Recon: Wildlands is possibly set for release later this year. Here’s the legal text from the Opposition that indicates as much.
“Applicant’s Mark so resembles Opposers’ GHOST RECON marks alleged herein as to be likely, when used in connection with the goods and services identified in the Applications, to cause confusion, to cause mistake, or to deceive”.
While that argument might hold water if EA were attempting to use the name to compete with or cash in on Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy shooter franchise, that doesn’t appear to be the case. “Registration of Applicant’s Mark, therefore, should be refused under 15 U.S.C. §§ 1052(d) and 1063”, Ubisoft has claimed in their Notice of Opposition.
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For the time being, the ball is in EA’s court: the publisher has until March 9 to respond to Ubisoft’s dispute. The game focuses on soldiers of the US Armies 5th Special Forces Group (nicknamed The Ghosts) as they are deployed to hot zones in top secret operations. I’m not sure any would… ever.
