EA beats "nuisance litigator" Langdell

By Robert Purchese Published 5 October, 2010

Edge Games' "trolling" denied.

Timothy Langdell has been beaten: EA has won its court case against Edge Games.

Langdell's motion for injunction was denied by a US court, Industry Gamers reported. The court ruled that Langdell was "suspect" after his "trolling" of the videogames industry. His "fraudulent" statements to the US patent office could result in "criminal proceedings".

An EA rep said the company was "pleased" with the outcome and hoped it would serve as a "milestone" of protection against "nuisance litigators".

EA had counter-filed against Edge Games, challenging each and every one of Langdell's claimed trademarks. There's no mention of whether EA has been entirely successful on that front.

Langdell attacked EA for use of the word Edge in DICE's free-running action game Mirror's Edge. But EA were by no means the first of Langdell's targets. The most widely publicised of them has been Edge Games' battle against mobile developer mobigame and its iPhone title EDGE.

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About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (49) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • irve77 #1 2 years ago

    result !

  • SpookyTang #2 2 years ago

    Nice one EA :o

  • RealityCheque #3 2 years ago

    Hurrah! \o/

    EA FTW?!?

  • ubergine #4 2 years ago

    I like to think of people like Langdell falling into a bottomless pit, their arms and legs flailing, forever.

    Still not as stupid and bad for the industry as the patent laws that prevent loading-screen minigames and other obvious features.

  • jonbwfc #5 2 years ago

    His "fraudulent" statements to the US patent office could result in "criminal proceedings".

    It's always nice to start off the morning with something that puts a smile on your face...

  • X201 #6 2 years ago

    "EA FTW?!? "

    I know it feels odd, but just go with it, and remember that Activision is the baddie now.

  • kangarootoo #7 2 years ago

    About damn time!

  • Headless_Monkey_Boy #8 2 years ago

    EA Makes another step towards redemption for crimes against gamers. Having said that i doubt this move was entirly altruistic.

  • RobotRocker #9 2 years ago

    ATTN: Tim Langdell

    (Caution: Contains Naughty words and a stupidly catchy hook)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU

  • RM2KMaster #10 2 years ago

    I hope somebody fucking stabs him in the eye now, just being a massive prick to the various indies he's destroyed.

  • towser #11 2 years ago

    Activision are the new EA as Audi drivers are the new BMW drivers.

    The world's going crazy I tells ya!

  • lambtron #12 2 years ago

    Yessss!

  • s3y3 #13 2 years ago

    Thats warms the heart. Will drop my scepticism, pessimism until till the next no talent greedy mofo raises his ugly head. Should be about five minutes then. Sorry couldn't keep my ism's down for that long.

  • DrunkenKillfish #14 2 years ago

    @ubergine

    I did not know that! Just Googled it and that's pretty interesting and as you say very stupid!

  • The-Bodybuilder #15 2 years ago

    EA against Kotick and Langdell? O_o

  • schnide #16 2 years ago

    EA - I now forgive you for the way you pussied out on Medal of Honor, but only just.

    Now blow this troll's trademarks into oblivion and I'll buy MOH too.

  • darkmorgado #17 2 years ago

    Brilliant news!

    How long now until Langdell posts some stupid denial "no no, EA didn't win, they are misreporting" etc?

    EDIT: Hi Tim! I see you've negged me. Well, I'll forgive you. You are understandably feeling butthurt this morning. Chin up though, you'll be getting a new boyfriend soon when you're sent to prison.
    Edited by darkmorgado at 05/10/10 @ 10:33

  • drxym #18 2 years ago

    Good for EA. Langdell was little more than a leech using a dubious trademark registration to score money off others.

  • SAMagic #19 2 years ago

    It gets better: [link url=http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2010-10-05-court-rules-in-favour-of-ea-over-trolling-langdell
    ]http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/20...[/link]

    "Even after 2003, the evidence that plaintiff had been making bona fide use of the "EDGE" mark in commerce is suspect. For example, Dr. Langdell's declaration asserted that Edge Games has been selling the video game Mythora (supposedly bearing the "EDGE" mark) since 2004.

    "Curiously, while the exterior packaging submitted by Dr. Langdell to the USPTO for the Mythora video game included a website address, this website wasn't even registered by Edge Games until October 2008 - nearly four years after the game's purported release."

    The court also found that Langdell had submitted a number of other doctored game boxes, revised to now display various versions of the trademarks he claimed to hold, in order to support his patent applications.

    Hopefully this is the 'edge' of Langdell's complete fall from the industry. Good riddance.

  • darkmorgado #20 2 years ago

    The court judgement. It makes for very amusing reading.

    This idiot genuinely believed that he could lie to a Judge and get away with it in the face of so much evidence.

  • darkmorgado #21 2 years ago

    My favourite quote from the judgement:

    given the suspect nature of Dr. Langdell’s representations to both the USPTO and

    the Court concerning plaintiff’s current and future sales and business activities, it is an open

    question whether plaintiff’s business activities legitimately extend beyond trolling various

    gaming-related industries for licensing opportunities.

    Priceless.

  • The-Bodybuilder #22 2 years ago

    It's official, "trolling" is now a legitimate word to be used in any conversation. :)

  • Stuz359 #23 2 years ago

    I know the victory in court is a big win, but by beat, I was hoping for some physical violence.

  • SAMagic #24 2 years ago

    Whenever I think of these rulings (or whatever legal declaration you call it), I can't help but think of the writer as being the Judge from Phoenix Wright, but it's clearly someone who is competent with technology instead. And that's possibly why it's such a slap in the face of a pathetic trademark troll like Langdell.

  • neems #25 2 years ago

    The judge used 'Troll' because in legal circles they tend to frown upon such phrases as 'fucking idiot'.

  • darkmorgado #26 2 years ago

    @neems

    Haha. +1 sir!

    Though I can assure you that judges use very strong language indeed if people piss them off!

  • LazyNinjaUk #27 2 years ago

    So now Tim's primary means of earning through lawsuits has failed, I guess the company must focus on other methods of generating income. Does this mean Edge Games might actually have to make games?

    I'm now free publish my indie title on XBL, PSN and iPhone, "Edgey McEdge's Crazy Adventures at the Edge of Edge land."

  • Kami #28 2 years ago

    Finally, ding dong the witch is dead!

    Why is it Langdell reminds me of Denis Leary's @$$hole Song?!
    Edited by Kami at 05/10/10 @ 11:19

  • darkmorgado #29 2 years ago

    For anyone who isn't yet fully versed in this saga, you can read the whole thing here.

  • Paulie_P #30 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    From my experience with the family courts, judges tend to let a little thing like 'lying' slide. Not that they believe the lies, they simply don't act on them. Maybe this court is different though.

  • ubergine #31 2 years ago

    @SAmagic
    The icing on the cake would just be for him to be jailed for perjury, or misleading the court, or fraud, or all three!

  • darkmorgado #32 2 years ago

    @Paulie_p

    I'm talking criminal courts. I was a witness and one of the onlookers sniggered. Just sniggered. The judge launched into a massive shouting tirade at him, made worse when the onlooker said the whole court process was "a bad joke". He was quickly, and loudly, put in his place.

    +1 for the Judge :-D

  • Paulie_P #33 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    Yeah, I realise the criminal courts might be different. Still - wish I had that judge on my case!

  • darkmorgado #34 2 years ago

    @Paulie_P

    She was brilliant. Saw through the lies of the defendant. He's being sentenced today as it happens, so I've taken the day off in anticipation of the phone call. There's been a one-month sentence review as the Judge didn't think as a magistrate she could give a sentence large enough to reflect what he did, so it might be referred to Crown.

  • darleysam #35 2 years ago

    YEAHHHHHH!

  • 32768Colours #36 2 years ago

    @X201

    I know it feels odd, but just go with it, and remember that Activision is the baddie now.

    It's a bit like Pro Wrestling isn't it! EA are Hulk Hogan to Activision's Hollywood Hogan!

    In your face Langdell! :D

  • dnd #37 2 years ago

    truly bizarre...how on earth he ever thought he could take on a huge multinational and win...i mean, it's bad enough when you actually have a legitimate case!

  • glaeken #38 2 years ago

    If anything comes out of reading the full transcript it is the fact the USPTO really do need to validate their proof's of trademarks far more thoroughly. Some of the things the USPTO accepted as evidence of trademark use are embarrassingly bad.

    Langdell is just an out and out crook but the USPTO come across as incompetent and I would imagine they are currently supporting all sorts of rubbish trademarks based on what they have let Langdell get away with.

  • darkmorgado #39 2 years ago

    I've just emailed Langdell. I couldn't resist, especially after the amusing response I received the last time I emailed him.

    Hi Tim,

    I just thought I would email you to say hi and give you my congratulations for singlehandedly winning the "idiot troll of the year" award at this year's impending TRADEMARK TROLL AWARDS(tm) sponsored my Edgeward McEdge (myself). I hear you are also in the running for winning the "Stupidest attempt to defraud the American Government" award in light of your silly attempts to pass off a fake cover of EDGE magazine and doctored covers of comics that have not been in print for over 15 years. I am told that the prize for that is a nice long prison sentence, possibly with a new boyfriend as a cellmate.

    I was wondering if you would like to give a Winner's speech for receipt of your award, or some thoughts on your possible win of next year's awards. I am sure that all of your loving fans (i.e, your wife) would love to hear a few words from you. Possibly with some liberal sprinklings of "TM" after every word.

    Please let us know, and please also give us a postal address so that we can forward your trophy to you. We considered sending it to your business address, but ultimately decided that sending it to a post office box might be a bit risky.

    Awaiting your response,

    Edgeward McEdge.

  • BigE0n #40 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    what did you email last time and what was the response?
    Edited by BigE0n at 05/10/10 @ 14:59

  • actionfitz #41 2 years ago

    huzzah for EA :)
    some good press after pussying out over the Medal of Honour Tali... erm... sorry I mean OpFor... shizzle.
    :)

  • rivuzu #42 2 years ago

    @darkmorgado

    You sir certainly know how to push someone to the edg-...

    PHEW. Nearly had a lawsuit on my hands there.

    (Though, glad to hear about your circumstances. Hope the bugger gets screwed hard.)

  • beckyh #43 2 years ago

    What about the companies who did pay him to avoid litigation? Can they claim their money back now?

  • Lycanthroat #44 2 years ago

    An absolute ninny, this bloke. How he's been able to get away with it for this long?

    I wonder if Cross Edge (unknown crossover RPG title by NIS America) will finally be put up again? This idiot Langdell has caused uproar, and Cross Edge's website and DLC has been pulled down in the US. Wonder if they'll be put back up?

  • lucky_jim #45 2 years ago

    What about the companies who did pay him to avoid litigation? Can they claim their money back now?

    That's a damn good question. Similarly, what about those like Mobigames who suffered a lot of lost revenue due to his trolling? Surely they have grounds for suing his arse off?

    Anyone here who knows about this stuff and can enlighten us?

  • icematt12 #46 2 years ago

    After a hard day at work, I suddenly feel much better :D Might be more good news in the next couple of days though.

    darkmorgado's letter was the cherry on top.

  • hayisforhorses #47 2 years ago

    His website is the funniest piece of shit i have seen in some time, racers looks real great Tim im amazed you got a dos game running on windows pc

    prick

  • Bonders99 #48 2 years ago

    This is hilarious.

    [link url=http://www.amazon.com/review/R31DB7VNYV7OB5/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R31DB7VNYV7OB5
    ]http://www.amazon.com/review/R31DB7VNYV7...[/link]

    The guy is beyond redemption. He is certifiably in lala land

    and this from the review..."The slick retro stylings of the numerous space jets and uncluttered interface leave imitators like Wipeout in the dust".. is just priceless
    Edited by Bonders99 at 05/10/10 @ 18:00

  • LazyNinjaUk #49 2 years ago

    @Bonders99

    From just reading the first line alone with all its Edge Games related trademarks I thought Tim Langdell had sank lower than I thought was possible, till I read the whole thing and realised it's a proper satirical review.

    Someone who obviously knows how full of shit Edge Games/Tim Langdell is wrote it. :)