EA re-trademarks Road Rash, Populous, more
By
Brendan Sinclair, Senior Editor
Theme Park, Wing Commander also renewed as EA executive discusses work on classic properties.
While Electronic Arts is busy pursuing new and recent intellectual properties like Dante's Inferno, Spore, and Dead Space, the publisher hasn't forgotten the franchises on which it was built. Data amalgamation blog Superannuation this week noticed that the publisher has recently renewed trademarks on some of its classic properties, including space flight combat game Wing Commander, bruising motorcycle racer Road Rash, and Bullfrog strategy classics Populous and Theme Park.
All four of the applications were filed August 5 and covered those terms for use in a wide-ranging assortment of entertainment media and services. Electronic Arts already has existing, active trademarks for Wing Commander, Road Rash, and Theme Park, although they are much simpler in description than the newly sought trademarks.
For example, EA's current Theme Park trademark covers use of the term only in "computer game programs pre-recorded on magnetic media." The trademark the publisher is seeking for Theme Park would cover "pre-recorded audio tapes, video tapes, audio cassettes, video cassettes, CD-ROMs, DVDs, compact discs, and video discs, featuring entertainment related to films, video, games, animated cartoons and music; recorded and downloadable video and audio files featuring information and instructions regarding computer and video games," as well as "entertainment services, namely, providing news and information regarding interactive computer game software, interactive video game software and interactive computer games and interactive video games, via electronic, wireless and computer networks," among other things.
A search of the US Patent and Trademark Office online database yielded no previous game-related trademarks for Populous.
While EA wants to retain its claims to the specified franchises, the trademark applications don't necessarily mean that those series will be seeing new games anytime soon. In 2006, EA filed a trademark for the PC franchise System Shock but has not announced any plans to take advantage of it.
Regardless, the publisher understands the value of its vault of dormant franchises and has tried to bring at least one of them back. Last year, Chronicles of Riddick developer Starbreeze Studios said it was busy reinventing a "classic EA franchise," and Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach sparked rumors of a new Road Rash during an appearance on a heavy metal radio show. More recently, the head of EA's UK-based Bright Light studio told Kikizo this week that his studio had previously worked on a resurrection for an old EA franchise, though that project had been passed on to another developer.
By
Brendan Sinclair, Senior Editor
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
140 comments
If road rash comes up with graphics of bikes in SBK08 or burnout paradise and more of the same gameplay fun then it will be atleast one of the most successful games of the year.(whichever year it will release :D)online play supporting 16 players (he he like old mike,rhonda and many more) ,pvp battles, ranking. all that could be added. = one hell of a game
Woooow..... I want to see a day when road rash comes up.... you know, with online multiplayer, the game will be a lot of fun.... Road Rash make me laugh very much, since the first comes up.....Its some kinf of nostalgic and hope feelings..... :)
@Merl57 Oh yeah totally forgot about the mutant league games, they were nuts! A next gen revamp would definitely benefit those games, along with more advanced gameplay. Road Rash could work, but it's really hard to see how you could do it. The gameplay would have to remain mostly unchanged because of the nature of the franchise, so who knows? The soundtrack totally rocked though on the later Road Rash games : )
Wonder how well Road Rash would sell...even an updated one. It was fun years ago but in this day of FPS's and RPG's, is there even still a market for it?
i had fun playing Road Rash on Sega Channel but I don't think I'm all that excited to play a remake, but I would love to see a remake of mutant league hockey
Yes. Road Rash FTW. The best part about that game was the soundtrack. Those songs never got old.
Yeah man Road rash, I think I had it and loved it on Mega Drive many many years ago, LoL. They should also bring back the Dizzy series. Anyone remember PitFighter from the Arcades, I always remember it was 50p a shot and could never get on it. What also about Super Hang on ! lol Man those where the days eh ?
Given how successfull Bioshock was, the have to bring out it's spirital precurser System shock 1 and 2!!!
Road Rash?? Hell Yeah man!!!! We need Road Rash again.... Maybe even add choppers and cruisers to the mix and some customization and multiplayer and you have a winner...
Is EA afraid of abandonware or something? Well, they do have the reputation for trying to get as much money out of their customers as possible.
@cradleofkittie Actually I preferred the 3D0 version. By far the best in the series. I really hope RR and Populous are resurrected .
I had completely forgotten about these games, but now i am reminded i hope they get a remake very soon to show what they could do with todays technology. cant wait to see road rash and im strangely looking forward to a new theme park.
Damn EA for sitting on System Shock. Damn them all to hell! ...but thanks for Dead Space. That was great.
EA, you BETTER freaking make a current-gen Road Rash game! (and then a current-gen Jungle/Urban/Dessert Strike game and a current-gen Mutant League Hockey/Football game)
I hope they are actively working on these titles instead of hanging on to the copyright. Definitely want to see Road Rash and Wing Commander with today's graphics. Space sims need to make a huge comeback since we haven't had one for a damn long time.
althogh rockstar pretty much did make a new road rash...TLAD races with bats.... this should own...i remember playing roadrash 64 like it was yesterday
I have been wanting another road rash game for years, finally EA is doing something that i like and will get behind.
Road Rash kicks ass, they better do it right like the Sega Genesis or PS1 versions i played Road Rash 3D but i don't remember it beaning as good as the others, i still have the PS1 Road Rash. I know where i can find the genesis versions in NYC but it would be cool for them to release them on PSN
A new multiplayer enabled Road Rash would be awesome. Imagine the possiblities.... Pro shops, tournaments, leagues, teams, custom made logos and uniforms.... wow now i really want it to happen!!
i always used to love playing road rash on my ps1, they should bring that back, and always i think they should bring sled storm back that game was fun too on the ps1
If you want to play Road Rash online, try TLAD for GTA IV. It has a multiplayer mode that is an homage to Road Rash... freakin awesome!
ROAD RASH!!!! I remember road rash and road rash 3D. Both favorites. Just imagine making that into a online multiplayer game? Now that would be awesome. Theme Hospital would be nice too, too many theme park games lying around now.
ROAD RASH!I loved those games.Just imagine what they could do with that game now.I hope I'm not dreaming.
While I would love to see the old boys back in action, namely Wing Commander and System Shock (SHODAN was the original digital hottie), I suspect that EA is re-trademarking these properties for the simple reason that they don't want anyone else using them. Doesn't matter that EA won't make any new games, just so long as no one else does either (and thus make a few bucks/threaten the EA juggernaut). Yeah it's a depressing thought but that's the way the world works these days. Oh well, I guess I can always hope that one day I'll be back in the cockpit, stick in hand, target in sight and missile tone in the ear.
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