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LucasArts thinks you're stupid, engages in trademark dispute with Digg photo

1UP is reporting that LucasArts has become embroiled with social news aggregator Digg over a trademark dispute. LucasArts claims that Digg's name bears a little too much resemblance to The Dig, their 1995 point-and-click adventure title based on the same SCUMM engine as classics such as the Monkey Island series, Sam & Max Hit the Road, and Full Throttle. You guys remember The Dig, right?... uh, anybody?

Well, even if a 12-year-old adventure title doesn't exactly spring to life in our collective memory, maybe LucasArts' claim has some merit. Let's take a look-see:

"THE DIGG mark is confusingly similar in sound, meaning, and appearance to the Opposer's THE DIG mark. The Applicant's registration and use of the DIGG Mark would likely create confusion, mistake, or deception in the minds of prospective purchasers as to the origin or source of the Opposer's Goods associated with THE DIG Mark." 

Nevermind, this is absolutely baseless. LucasArts' claim somehow insinuates that those even remotely aware of The Dig (all four of us) are in danger of being duped -- maybe even hornswaggled -- into believing that Digg.com is somehow representative of their game. I know we're not the sharpest knives in the drawer, but give us a little credit, LucasArts; none of us are going to lay eyes upon that extra G and imagine a world in which a 12-year-old point and click adventure game has somehow been magically reconfigured into a link network. G is a wonderful letter, but not so wonderful that it might have the power to make your fanciful world of gumdrops, unicorns and ridiculous trademark disputes into a glittering reality.

Hey, LucasArts: grow up and get back to scrapping Full Throttle sequels in favor of whatever wretched Star Wars title is next in line so I can continue to ignore you.

[Via 1UP








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27 comments | showing # 1 to 27
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World Famous's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 20:48
World Famous
Lucas needs more money.
momiji58's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 20:51
momiji58
Yecch.

What game was that again? I hardly remember that one at all.
CannibalCalvin 's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 20:54
CannibalCalvin
Lol they won't win.
deadpixel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 20:56
deadpixel
Are they talking about that game that wasn't Day of the Tentacle?
velcroman's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 20:57
velcroman
this just in: THQ is suing destructoid because it sounds to similar to "destroy all humans."

might as well close up shop dtoid, its been a good run.
dklancer02's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 21:18
dklancer02
In all fairness, the game was a pretty decent one.

the lawsuit is flippin' stupid though.
moclippa's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 21:26
moclippa
Dig was an amazing game when it came out...

I wonder if Lucas is trying to market a remake of the game? wink wink nudge nudge?

if not then these guys are fucking morons bringing a great games name into this baseless dispute, Point and Click Space expeditions FTW!
BlindsideDork's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 21:28
BlindsideDork
I still own and LOVE The Dig! It had the voice of T-1000!!!!!! Robert Patrick? was that his name...it was a great game!
BlindsideDork's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 21:29
BlindsideDork
Maybe they bring this up because they expect to make a sequel to The Dig
Farktoid's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 21:47
Farktoid
Dear LucasArts,
Those of us that played your old adventure games will buy more. I've been picking up the Sam & Max episodes as soon as they come out. I don't care if you put out sequels or not, although I would kill to get more Monkey Island or Full Throttle. Just deliver the brilliant comedy and clever tricks you shared back in the day and I will hand you money.
Teh Ted's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 22:00
Teh Ted
Geez....Linde busted out the big knives for LucasArts today, no?

I'll play devil's advocate...this is a stupid lawsuit. Just as stupid as the Cisco iPhone lawsuit and the Blackberry lawsuit. Okay, probably stupider...but the point is that it got them in the news and people talking about their games for probably the cost of a new Armani suit for one of their corporate sharks. Not such a bad move, really.
grrza's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 23:01
grrza
Maybe the ghosts of Kerouac and Ginsberg should sue LucasArts for making a video game named after their cool, hipster/Beat term for liking something. And maybe moles and worms can sue the beatniks for usurping their verb for tunneling through the earth. ugh.
DJTyrant's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/26/2007 23:55
DJTyrant
I barely remember Dig. It's not worth suing over though if I barely remember it.
pierce's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 00:37
pierce
The Dig was a great game. Day of the Tentacle was better though. Damn you Lucas Arts, why do you have to be so damn anal. Used to be so cool...
Civnerd's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 01:19
Civnerd
Elementaryy grammarr forr thee winn!!
Aaron Mxy Yost's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 01:37
Aaron Mxy Yost
Yeah, because people don't want a Monkey Island/Full Throttle/Maniac Mansion sequel, they want a sequel to The Dig! It was a good game, but easily my least favorite LucasArts adventure title.
Tiff's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 02:07
Tiff
Clearly Mr. LucasArts is a little bitter that his Dig doesn't have as many saavy interweb friends as the mimic Digg. Maybe they want that extra g? (get it...money pun.)

I think its more likely the result of Kevin Rose getting more silicon valley honeys than George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch can wrangle. Last time I checked the Bay Area's snobby rich people magazine 'Gentry', George Lucas was listed as one of the most eligable bachelors in the Bay. Sad, but true.
wardrox's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 02:32
wardrox
@ Marley , doesn't Lucas have all those hot alien dancers?
zaqu's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 04:11
zaqu
well looks like a solid case, digg has just ripped of those poor folks at Lucasarts. They are probably going through rough times, they can only snort 2 rails a night while sodomizing thier $12000 a night whores.... those poor sad basterds.
bleep's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 06:21
bleep
Look Over There!

A completely unassociated product or service....DESTROY!
Brandon Undead's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 07:40
Brandon Undead
I is familiar with both brands! I am been Hornswaggled! Bamboozled! Flimmflammed! Runamok! I are t3h unassuming consoomar!

But seriously, can I make a point in LucasArts' defense? They are fucking retards.
Dale North's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 09:13
Dale North
aaron's last sentence ftw
Christian's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 10:56
Christian
I beat "The Dig", it was a fun game! I recall that one scientist guy gets his arm ripped off and turns evil or something.
Natedizzle's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 11:03
Natedizzle
I wish THQ would sue destroid, that would be awesome.
ChrisFurniss's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 13:19
ChrisFurniss
Response here: http://weeklygeekshow.com/2007/02/lucasarts_in_trademark_dispute.php

Pretty stupid in my opinion. It's as if some bigwig just did a comparative google search to see what websites have similar names to their own IPs. Baseless and a waste of time.
JonDarkwood's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/27/2007 16:00
JonDarkwood
This just in: Destructoid is being sued by Dominos because the "oid" at the end is too easily confused with the Noid.
ljhalfbreed's Avatar - Comment posted on 03/01/2007 15:26
ljhalfbreed
Is this where they sue the makers of the movie 'Big'? And anyone who puts at the bottom of their forum post a 'sig'? And who would they have to punish for Zero Wing?
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