Famed "trademark troll" Tim Langdell back on the Edge

Tim Langdell found success publishing computer games in the 8-bit era, but became more famous for his extractive policing of trademarks around the word "Edge." This enterprise seemed to come to an end 15 years ago after courts ordered the trademarks cancelled, with one judge furious at the shenanigans involved. But his company has filed for Edge-related trademarks since, the rubber stamps at the USPTO have awarded them, and we are off to the races again.

Mobigame CEO David Papazian has revealed that Langdell has filed a federal complaint against Mobigame in Virginia. Mobigame, as you might recall, had its iOS game EDGE removed from Apple's App Store in the US and the UK due to threats of legal action by Tim Langdell back in 2009.

Papazian, who ultimately prevailed back then, writes about the renewed litigation on LinkedIn.

In the Electronic Arts case, the U.S. District Court wrote that Edge Games' representations about the validity and use of its marks were "infected by evidence of deceit," and questioned whether its business extended beyond "trolling various gaming-related industries for licensing opportunities."

In the UK Future Publishing case, Langdell relied on floppy disks to prove he created the EDGE logo in 1991. The High Court found the alleged 1991 content had been created using Windows 95 and "deliberately backdated." The Court called his explanation "an involved and absurd story." …

We welcome discovery. We want the documents, metadata, alleged sales records, file sources, chain of rights, communications, … If the evidence confirms what the public record suggests, Mobigame will seek full compensation.

Here's the complaint from Langdell's company. If nothing else, "Edge" is easily the most cursed word in what's left of this industry and to use it in commerce is to invite suffering upon yourself.