It Takes Two faces copyright claim from publishing giant, Take-Two
Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, filed a trademark claim on the hit co-op game from Hazelight Studios.
Under the direction of Swedish developer Josef Fares, Hazelight Studios has helped start a renaissance of couch co-op games from award-winning Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and A Way Out to the latest release: It Takes Two. However, in the face of a trademark claim from the massive game publisher Take-Two Interactive, its name – arguably the identity of Hazelight’s IP – forced them to abandon any ownership of the game’s title.
It Takes Two was a pleasant co-op surprise in the game industry that echoed the magic of a genre of games overshadowed by online multiplayer. Much like the earlier titles on Hazelight Studios’ belt, grounded characters with motivations and the feeling of embarking on a journey of conflict is present in the narrative, which becomes the selling point for the game and the nature of its name. Take-Two’s infamous legal team wasn’t happy with the name choice, though.
They made a trademark claim once attraction grew for the game before release. Before long, Hazelight Studios couldn’t protect the name since it would be an uphill battle of resources to reclaim rights. Anyone who follows Take-Two’s many copyrights strikes can tell you their persistence is unmatched in a legal battle. Words such as “rockstar,” “social club,” “mafia,” and “civilization” in other properties have led to claims in the past. And in just the last three months, Take-Two has been busy with 25 ongoing copyright strikes.
In light of all this, a Hazelight spokesperson told Eurogamer that the team hopes the claim “will be resolved” soon. But who can say when “ongoing disputes” are still happening. What are your opinions on the matter? Let us know below!
Via: VG247
