Sony gets Buzz-y dealing with trademark dispute

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jan 29th 2008 at 2:00PM }

California-based Buzztime Entertainment filed suit against Sony Computer Entertainment Europe last week alleging Sony's line of Buzz! games violates several of its own trademarks. Buzztime was established in 1985 and makes various electronic trivia games for mobile phones, cable systems, and can be found in bars and restaurants.

Gamespot reports that while Buzztime does not have a trademark on the word "buzz," it does have a trademark on various games with the word "buzz" in it. SCEE is filing trademarks for "Buzz!" and two other versions of the word without the exclamation mark. Buzztime is accusing SCEE of "malicious, fraudulent, knowing, willful, and deliberate" violations, and has expressed desire for a recall and destruction of all infringing products. The company also requests actual and punitive damages, legal fees and that the US Patent and Trademark Office not register SCEE's pending application. If Buzztime stands a chance at winning, we wonder if it would be cheaper for Sony to just buy Buzztime outright instead of paying the damages?

Tags: buzz, buzz!, buzztime, sony

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Jan 29th 2008 2:08PM

This is ridiculous. So what if it has the word Buzz in it. It is only part of the word.

RoboChamp @ Jan 29th 2008 2:09PM

Err... were they not around for when Sony dealt with Lik-sang? I hope they have twenty lawyers ready...

paragraph @ Jan 29th 2008 2:10PM

"Buzz" is an enunciation of a sound, AFIK you cannot trademark the enunciation of a sound something makes...

But you never know...

As for that last quip, i don't think Sony is in the fiscal position to do either, but buying the company would probably be better and cheaper for them.

Ignatius @ Jan 29th 2008 2:17PM

Anyone else notice that these big corporations seem to have the childish tendencies of a two year old whose toy was just taken from them?

Negativecool @ Jan 29th 2008 2:33PM

Ugh...Are you referring to Buzztime or Sony? Either one, that statement made no sense.

Jamesology @ Jan 29th 2008 8:31PM

Yeah what the hell are you talking about. Did you even read this thread. I think you got the wrong thread.

KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Jan 29th 2008 2:30PM

What about the movie Buzz, should they sue Paramount too?
How about the Buzzer on game shows, they have the buzz in buzzer.

Chris @ Jan 29th 2008 2:32PM

Freedom of speech has disappeared due to trade and industry....

Negativecool @ Jan 29th 2008 2:36PM

If I were president, I would endeavore to destroy patent trolls....

Then after I rewrite the constitution and become dictator, I will have all lawyers liquidated.

Jon @ Jan 29th 2008 2:50PM

Thing is they are not patent trolls, as they have products on the market. Besides this isn't a patent dispute but a trademark one.

Still can't see how they can win. It is like Apple suing everyone who market their products with the dictionary word 'pod' in it.

Poisoned Al @ Jan 29th 2008 3:23PM

One of my college tutors way back taught me not to like Apple thought his stories dealing with them (he modded a Mac, and Apple went into spac-attack mode when he showed them his improvements). Apple is unbelievably sue happy and have acted like dicks from the off. They go after EVERYONE, big or small, that so much as makes anything remotely looking like their crappy, over stylized products. Microsoft are quite relaxed in comparison. For monopolizing overlords, they let a lot of stuff slide if you don't make any money from it (fan sites etc). But make anything out of shiny white plastic, expect a shitty letter from Apple's lawyers to hit your doormat! I'm no fan of Microsoft or Windows, but I for one are glad they kicked Jobs into touch.

NATO_Duke @ Jan 29th 2008 5:46PM

Well, us lawyers will be happy to see you try without anyone to aid you in drafting those laws.

Scott @ Jan 29th 2008 2:56PM

The fact that Buzztime was making electronic trivia games since 1985 means that they have some argument for claiming that Sony's game "Buzz!" could cause some confusion among consumers. Of course, I had never even heard of Buzztime until this story broke, but I don't really think they're coming out of left field on this one.

pezman726 @ Jan 29th 2008 3:03PM

You mean you've never been to a BW3's and played the trivia game on the TVs? because that's NTN BuzzTime Trivia right there.

http://www.buzztime.com/

I think they've got a legit case on this one...but I don't think they can win.

Scott @ Jan 29th 2008 3:16PM

Nope, never played those. Does the name "Buzztime" show up clearly on the screen while you're playing? If so, I think they've got a leg to stand on.

I have played a big standalone trivia game thing at Dave and Buster's, but I don't remember the name of it or who made it.

FidliousWong @ Jan 29th 2008 3:16PM

No, they don't have a case. One is named Buzz, one is named Buzztime. One takes it's name from the noise the early electronic noise makers made, the other does the same but adds "time" to the end. After all, I remember watching a 1940s movie where someone stated "Someone's at the buzzer, dear."

Fact of the matter, Buzz isn't actively pursuing the markets that buzztime does. Likewsie, Buzztime has never actively pursued the console game market (or PC for that matter). So essentially this is two seperate products in two seperate markets and one is bitching that the other is trying to confuse customers they could give fuck all about.

This is like watching the Gobots makers sue the Gogurt makers...

Scott @ Jan 29th 2008 3:21PM

Well, obviously I'm not an expert on trademark law, but I think you could argue that a consumer might believe that Buzz! is a home version of Buzztime since they are both electronic trivia games with Buzz in their name. It's not like the two products are completely different from one another.

FidliousWong @ Jan 29th 2008 3:21PM

Scott, they attempted a PlayTV version a while back. I remember seeing it at a store and thinking "That's be awesome for parties when people are no longer sober enough to stand." Unfortunately the $60 base unit plus $25 controller pack and $25 expansion carts killed my interest.

FidliousWong @ Jan 29th 2008 3:19PM

Sony is in the position to buy them out. When will people learn Sony is more than Playstation?

Also, if they do buy them out, I hope they pull an EA with Dice.

"Hello, I'm Sony. I bought you guys on Tuesday. I'm you're new boss. What's today? Wednesday? Ah yes, pack your shit and get the fuck out."