Treatment Leisure, the developer that created the Max Payne and Alan Wake online game franchises, is embroiled in a trademark dispute with Take-Two Interactive over claims that Treatment’s new “R” emblem too intently resembles that of its subsidiary Rockstar Video games.
Take-Two submitted the Rockstar emblem as proof towards Treatment’s trademark utility
The developer additionally later submitted trademark functions with the UK on Could eleventh and the US on Could twenty fourth, with the latter filings nonetheless “awaiting examination.” In flip, Take-Two then filed its opposition towards Treatment’s utility with the EU on July twenty sixth and the UK on September twelfth. Take-Two didn’t present any further context for objecting to Treatment’s new emblem, however the Rockstar Video games emblem was submitted in its personal filings as proof towards the trademark utility, suggesting its most important concern is that they each prominently characteristic the letter “R.”
For the EU dispute particularly, each events have since requested an extension to the standard two-month “cooling off interval” previous to issues being hashed out in court docket. Adversarial proceedings received’t go forward till at the least September seventh, 2025 — until the 2 corporations determine to settle the dispute between them first. That looks like a believable consequence contemplating Treatment Leisure and Take-Two have a long-standing relationship. Treatment bought the Max Payne rights to Take-Two in 2004 and has collaborated with Rockstar Video games on remakes for the primary two video games within the franchise.
Nonetheless, if Take-Two does wish to push forward with its objections, then it has a deadline of November sixth, 2025 to submit any additional proof that helps its claims. The corporate definitely has a historical past of getting concerned with trademark disputes, having pressured Hazelight Studio to desert title possession rights for It Takes Two shortly after the sport was launched in 2021.