Founded in 1979, Edge Games created numerous pieces of software for microcomputers like the ZX Spectrum and Commodore 64. However, it is far better known for the litigious nature of its CEO Tim Langdell, who for decades has asserted a trademark over the word “edge” whenever it crops up in the gaming space. While it’s been more than a decade since his patent trolling made major headlines, a LinkedIn post spotted by Time Extension suggests Langdell is at it again, this time relitigating one of his messiest cases. The studio in question is refusing to roll over, hoping to end Langdell’s legal fixation against them once and for all.
“For more than 17 years, Mobigame has had to deal with Tim Langdell and Edge Games over the word EDGE,” writes Mobigame CEO David Papazian. “We intend to expose Tim Langdell for what he is: a trademark troll, and keep this fight public, factual and documented, so the industry can learn from it and help ensure this never happens again.”
Mobigame’s 2009 dispute with Langdell was an unusual affair. In the then-booming mobile space, Langdell successfully requested the removal of the critically acclaimed game Edge from the app store. Langdell asserted that he possesses a global trademark on the word “edge,” and demanded a 25% cut from any sales during its time under that handle. The request had nothing to do with the contents of the game, only that it used one of the same words as his company’s name.
The back-and-forth, restoring, renaming and confusion on the app store concluded in 2010 after Langdell bit off more than he could chew. Around the same time, he had also challenged Electronic Arts over their game Mirror’s Edge. As part of that settlement, Langdell had to release a number of Edge-related trademarks. It had become routine behavior. He had also pursued Namco over Soul Edge, the original title for Soulcalibur, and the gaming magazine EDGE.
The settlement didn’t end Langdell’s legal trolling, as he continued to trademark edge-related terms and chased after Razer over a few gaming tablets. Now it seems Langdell is returning for a rematch with one of his most infamous contenders, making a case over even earlier cellular games.
According to Papazian’s post, Langdell is staking a claim that his Edge did in fact have an existing mobile trademark through a J2ME port of Bobby Bearing, an Edge game from 1986. Papazian lists the reasons this new claim doesn’t hold water, from differences in American and European mobile gaming distribution, to contacting Bobby Bearing’s original creator for his testimony. Papazian says that financially Mobigame is in far better shape to challenge Langdell in court and invites the new suit as an opportunity to end this behavior once and for all.
“Mobigame will not treat this as a private nuisance to be settled quietly,” posted Papazian. “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.”