trademark Archives

AppWizard

April 25, 2025

Despite CGI “A Minecraft Movie” is pretty good

“A Minecraft Movie” is directed by Jared Hess and is a fantasy adventure comedy inspired by the 2011 video game. The plot follows four misfits who are transported to the Overworld, guided by the character Steve, voiced by Jack Black. Key characters include Garret “The Garbage Man” Garrison, played by Jason Momoa, and Henry, portrayed by Sebastian Eugene Hansen, along with Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks). The film features comedic chemistry between Black and Momoa, with humor stemming from their dynamic. The CGI production is polished, though some viewers may find the lifelike appearance of monsters unsettling. The movie has inspired memes and quotes among audiences, enhancing the communal viewing experience. It received a rating of 4 out of 5 mustangs.

AppWizard

April 11, 2025

Tequila Works selling off games and IP after going bust

Spanish developer Tequila Works is auctioning its games and intellectual properties on Escrapalia due to financial challenges, having filed for insolvency in November 2024 after layoffs. The auction includes publishing rights for titles like Deadlight, Rime, Gylt, and The Invisible Hours, upcoming projects such as Brawler Crawler, Dungeon Tour, and The Ancient Mariner, additional creative concepts, and corporate identity assets. The trademark and IP for Rime and Gylt are particularly sought after. Tequila Works was founded in 2009 and is known for its game-development philosophy.

AppWizard

April 7, 2025

The rights to one of the greatest PC games of all time languished in the vault of a Midwestern insurance firm until a frustrated player bugged them about a re-release, ‘But they asked me if I wanted to do System Shock 3’

Stephen Kick, founder of Nightdive Studios, and Larry Kuperman, VP of business development, discussed the upcoming remaster of System Shock 2 at the Game Developers Conference. Kick revealed that the rights to System Shock were held by an insurance company for a long time, which was unsure how to proceed with them. He contacted the insurance company, which had recently lost the trademark held by EA, allowing Star Insurance to gain full ownership. Kick proposed re-releasing the original games instead of developing a new title, which was accepted. The remaster of System Shock 2 is set to launch on June 26, and Nightdive's remake of the original game won a "best remake" award in 2023.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Here’s why CD Projekt isn’t using gen AI for Witcher 4

CD Projekt has decided not to integrate generative AI into The Witcher 4 or any upcoming projects due to concerns over intellectual property rights and the complexities of the technology. Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski stated that generative AI poses challenges regarding originality and trademark issues. However, the company is exploring other AI solutions for future products and has established a dedicated team for this purpose, focusing on customized AI models rather than generative AI.

BetaBeacon

March 6, 2025

Best new mobile games on iOS and Android – March 2025 round-up

Grand Mountain Adventure 2 is a mobile game that brings snowboarding and skiing to the platform, offering a miniature recreation of mountain life with exploration, time trials, and intuitive touch controls.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

4A Games’ Ukrainian arm rebrands as Reburn

The Ukrainian branch of Metro developer 4A Games has rebranded as Reburn and is developing a new sci-fi narrative-driven shooter titled La Quimera, which will be self-published. Founded in Kyiv in 2006, 4A Games gained recognition for the Metro series and relocated to Malta in 2014 due to geopolitical issues. CEO Dmytro Lymar explained that the rebranding allows the studio to create a new brand for the new intellectual property while retaining the trademark for the Metro series. The name Reburn signifies renewal and rebirth. 4A Games clarified that the overall company has not undergone a rebranding and that the original team continues to work on the next Metro game.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

Amazon Is Killing Its Appstore for Android Devices

Amazon will close its Amazon Appstore for Android on August 20, shifting focus to enhancing the Appstore experience on Fire TVs and Fire Tablets. Users on Android devices will need to switch to Google Play for apps, while developers can still update existing apps but cannot submit new ones. In-app purchases through the Amazon Appstore will no longer be available. The Amazon Coins program will remain active until the shutdown date, with unused coins eligible for a refund afterward. The Appstore, launched in March 2011, faced challenges competing with Google Play and Apple, and has already shut down in China and plans to withdraw from Windows by March 5.

Winsage

February 17, 2025

Bill Gates talks about trading for Windows 10 as Avowed wows reviewers and Microsoft kills HoloLens and lies about uninstalling Edge

Bill Gates humorously compared the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11 to a significant NBA trade, noting that Windows 10 holds a 60.33% market share. He also predicted that artificial intelligence could replace humans in various tasks but suggested that audiences might not enjoy watching computers play baseball. Nintendo is preparing for a potential legal battle with Pocketpair, the creators of Palworld, despite the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejecting 22 out of 23 of Nintendo's patent claims. Nintendo has secured a patent related to creature capturing mechanics and is pursuing additional patents. Avowed, an upcoming title from Xbox Game Studios and Obsidian Entertainment, is set to launch on February 18 and currently holds a score of around 80 on Metacritic, with early reviews praising its RPG elements. Microsoft faced criticism over a misleading webpage about uninstalling its Edge browser, which was quickly removed. Although uninstalling Edge is possible, many users may prefer to keep it installed. Microsoft has shifted the development of the IVAS militarized augmented reality headset to Anduril Industries, marking a significant move away from its HoloLens initiative, which includes the cancellation of HoloLens 3. The ASUS Zenbook Duo and Turtle Beach VelocityOne Multi-Shift received commendable scores of 4.5 out of 5 stars in reviews, with the Zenbook Duo praised for its performance and battery life, and the VelocityOne Multi-Shift recognized for its versatility for gamers.

BetaBeacon

February 7, 2025

Best new mobile games on iOS and Android – February 2025 round-up

- Sniper Elite 4 is available on iOS for free, but the full game costs £19.99 and has touchscreen control issues. - Archero 2 is a free game on iOS and Android that is similar to its predecessor with some new power-ups and events. - Letterlike is a word-based roguelite game available on iOS and Android for £4.99 with a score of 8/10. - Dungeons Of Dreadrock 2: The Dread King’s Secret is a puzzle game available on iOS and Android for £7.99 with challenging puzzles. - LOK Digital is a crossword-style puzzle game available on iOS and Android for free or £5.99 for the full game with a score of 8/10. - Skate City: New York is a minimalist skating game on iOS included with Apple Arcade subscription with a score of 6/10. - Super Farming Boy is a kinetic farm management game on iOS for £7.99 with a unique gameplay loop and a score of 8/10. - Turnip Boy Robs A Bank is a pixel art roguelite game available on iOS and Android for £4.99 with character-driven mechanics and a score of 7/10.

BetaBeacon

December 22, 2024

Android XR could be Google’s Daydream redemption, and VR games can help

Daydream had issues such as draining phone batteries and lack of smartphone support. Google abandoned Daydream just as Quest began to take off. Google could potentially regain ground in the XR market by focusing on gaming, offering a curated selection of apps, supporting hand-tracking and controllers, and utilizing powerful hardware like Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2. The success of Android XR will depend on how well Google can differentiate itself from competitors like Meta and Apple.