"Stellar Blade" Trademark Dispute Adds Confusion

Sony and Shift Up, the developer behind the PS5 action-adventure game Stellar Blade, find themselves embroiled in a legal battle over trademark rights. The lawsuit, filed by an American film production company named "Stellarblade," alleges trademark infringement and has been brought before a court in Louisiana.

Stellar Blade Sued By “Stellarblade” for Trademark Infringement

Both Trademarks Duly Registered

The plaintiff, Griffith Chambers Mehaffey, who owns the "Stellarblade" film production company based in Louisiana, asserts that his business has suffered due to the use of the name "Stellar Blade" by Sony and Shift Up. Mehaffey's company specializes in "Commercials, Documentaries, Music Videos & Independent Films." He claims that the similarity in names has caused confusion among internet users, making it difficult for potential customers to find relevant information about his company when searching for "Stellarblade" online.

Mehaffey is seeking monetary damages, attorney fees, and an injunction to prevent Sony and Shift Up from using the "Stellar Blade" trademark or any similar variations. Additionally, he has requested that all materials related to "Stellar Blade" be transferred to him for destruction.

The timeline of events shows that Mehaffey registered the "Stellarblade" trademark in June 2023 and subsequently sent a cease and desist letter to Shift Up in July of the same year. He also owns the stellarblade.com domain since 2006, which he has been using for his film production company since 2011.

In a statement to IGN, Mehaffey's lawyer expressed disbelief that Shift Up and Sony could have been unaware of Mehaffey's established trademark rights before adopting their similar mark. Stellar Blade was initially announced as "Project Eve" in 2019, and its name was changed to "Stellar Blade" in 2022. Shift Up registered the "Stellar Blade" trademark in January 2023, while Mehaffey registered "Stellarblade" in June 2023.

Mehaffey's lawyer further stated to IGN, "Mr. Mehaffey registered the stellarblade.com domain in 2006 and has used the STELLARBLADE name for his business for nearly 15 years. We believe in fair competition, but when larger companies disregard the established rights of smaller businesses, it's our responsibility to stand up and protect our brand. The defendants’ far superior resources have effectively monopolized online search results for STELLARBLADE, pushing Mr. Mehaffey's long-established business into digital obscurity and threatening the livelihood he's built over more than a decade." Mehaffey also pointed out the similarity between the logos and the stylized letter 'S' in both names, which he claims adds to the confusion.

It's important to understand that trademark rights can apply retroactively, meaning protection extends beyond the filing date of the trademark. This could have significant implications for the outcome of the lawsuit between "Stellarblade" and "Stellar Blade."