Nintendo Has 36 Months To Produce Something Eternal Darkness-Related To Retain The Trademark

Looks like Nintendo is going to have to put up or shut up with their Eternal Darkness trademark. The USPTO has seen Nintendo's request to extend the Eternal Darkness trademark, but has responded to that with a Statement of Use or Extension Request. This means Nintendo has 36 months to actually do something with Eternal Darkness, otherwise they'll lose the trademark request. Well...things just got really interesting!

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I wonder if some sort of spinoff would qualify...like a comic or something?

[3-4-5]

Such a non-interesting generic title for a game. Probably part of the reason it doesn't sell as good as it could.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

The sur-title makes it more interesting, but people don't use it enough.

[Chrischi1988]

If they make a game, I buy it ;)

[LOL_WUT]

Did you buy Game & Wario? ;)

Not many people bought the game mentioned above... let alone the W101 or Zombie U. And if you look around the game for the gamecube didn't sell too good that's why Nintendo doesn't plan on reviving the trademark. ;)

[Chrischi1988]

Why Game and Wario? This article is about the Eternal Darkness trademark. On Gamecube it was a really good game.

[Nerdmaster]

@Chrischi1988
It's because the way you said "If they make a game, I buy it", it seems that you meant "I'll buy any game they make", not "I'll buy another game in this series".

[RetroGamingBlog]

I have read many of your comments. You seem to have an agenda toward the system, and you say nothing of the good aspects that have been put forth. While W101 has a relatively low sales count, it doesn't stop it from being a really good game.

I question your ability to judge something you have no actual experience with. It's easy to stand at the sidelines making sly comments through the looking glass and
your fixation on every sales statistic aimed toward Nintendo, every negative one at least.

It would be interesting to see a more balanced approach. Or just don't make any comments, as it's quite obvious you dislike the system a great deal. Why keep tabs on it?

[Chrischi1988]

You mean me? I like the Wii U.

[Metallox]

Three things can happen:
1- Nintendo announces a new game.
2- Nintendo announces stuff of the game in the Club Nintendo.
3. Nintendo doesn't care and let die the trademark in the dust.

[LOL_WUT]

I don't know why Nintendo didn't fund that new Eternal Darkness game that was being made not too long ago which eventually ended up being canned. Missed opportunities... ;)

[lilbroRx]

Your misinformed as always. That wasn't an eternal darkness game, otherwise Nintendo would have sued.

Second, that was multiplatform game. Nobody opted to fund it on any platform it was announced for.

That game had a lot going on behind the scenes that made most informed people avoid putting money into it.

[RetroGamingBlog]

Because the developer, head creative at Silicon Knights, has had an exetremely dodgy past with money. Much like Pitchford abusing Sega's funds during A:CM.

Also, he couldn't use the IP, so he tried to ride on past glory from Twin Snakes and Eternal Darkness to get the money. Fortunately, people became wise and wouldn't put the funds into the hands of someone who can't be trusted with large sums of money.

[Thepcz]

that is why nintendo wont make it.

they do that with all the games we want. they shelve all the games we want, and force feed us wario game and watch, nintendoland and other games we desperately didnt want lol

[Austin48]

I agree we want a new f-zero they ignore us we want a new eternal darkness they ignore us so they keep making mario games. I like Nintendo and all but they need to realease other games or at least a new 1p.

[GuySloth]

Many people make comments about how Nintendo isn't very innovative and that they keep rehashing the same old titles. Nintendo is actually very innovative; they just tend to innovate within their own IP. Miyamoto has mentioned that he doesn't know what more he could do with F-Zero, which is part of the reason why Nintendo hasn't revisited the game.

[wonderfulmonkeyman]

I've wanted a sequel to Bayonetta and Xenoblade Chronicles for a long time, and nintendo is making both happen....

[Summons75]

HD remaster go go go!

[TheEvilWithin]

I would totally pick up an HD Remaster of Eternal Darkness. Maybe we could see something announced at the January Nintendo Direct or E3. More then anything though I want a new Fatal Frame or a localization of 4 in Japan.

[iplay1up2]

HD Remaster, with some of the clunky movements and controls (compared to today's games) fixed. It would be amazing. The spells and insanity affects, wow. I have Eternal Darkness under my TV right next to my old Wii, and it is one reason I do not put my Wii away(I have Wii U). Sometimes I get the urge to play it still.

[Thepcz]

an eternal darkness re-imagining... sort of like how they did resident evil on the gamecube. that is how you sell systems. that is how you get core gamers.

but of course, nintendo wont do it. they will let the licence expire, then announce game & wario 2.

[JohnnyTower]

Don't even tease us with this. I would be heartbroken if they let this one die.

[TheEvilWithin]

@LOL_WUT: Considering the lead writer was fired for being into Child pornography. I don't blame Nintendo for staying clear of that project. Before they disbanded though they pointed out that the project wasn't completely dead. Maybe there is something going on behind the curtains with Nintendo and Eternal Darkness. Only the future holds the answers unfortunately.

[SpiralTear]

I think it's hard to say what Nintendo will do with Eternal Darkness after this. The fact that they continued to renew the trademark for so long means that it must mean something to them; it's a series that can be very useful to Nintendo. It's a release that's radically unique from anything else in their library. It's distinctive. It's different.

I hope a game comes out of this: an HD remaster, VC Gamecube port, or in the best chance, a full-on sequel. Eternal Darkness is a fantastic game that's tragically overlooked, so seeing even an HD re-release would be a good endeavor to me. Might even spark interest for future projects in the series.

[admiralvic]

"The fact that they continued to renew the trademark for so long means that it must mean something to them"

Trademarks and patients are important to a company and many are willing to retain them, even without using them, just because they have value.

[SpiralTear]

Exactly, which makes this 36-month deadline all the more important. Nintendo will need to demonstrate how much value they believe the trademark has at this point. If they don't, it's lost.

Renewing a trademark just to keep it in your possession is one thing. Showing that something can come of said renewal is the next big step. Here's hoping something does come of it.

[Baccra17]

They kept renewing the patent so no one else can have it, that's it. They could give a rats ass about that game cause their precious Japanese probably don't give a damn about that game. I hope the patent does go out so someone else can make the game. a sequel to Eternal Darkness is long over due.

[nope111]

Would a guest appearance in Smash Bros count?

[CorndogBurglar]

I would have to say no.

It would have to be an Eternal Darkness title.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

yes because you are using the IP and Trademark.

example

Original Game: © Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Characters: © Nintendo / HAL Laboratory, Inc. / Pokémon. / Creatures Inc. / GAME FREAK inc. / INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS / SEGA / CAPCOM CO., LTD.

[OtakuDJK1NG-Rory]

also this is for SSB.

[XiSasukeUchiha]

2.5 years Nintendo entertain us

[R00bot]

It's three years, silly.

[CorndogBurglar]

Even if they announce something in the process, they would still have to prove that it is in active development. Even then, they would have a certain amount of time to actually make something before the rights revert.

This is the kind of thing that happens with the Marvel movies. Fox owned the rights to Daredevil movies. The time was coming to have the rights revert back to Marvel, so Fox did what they could to get another movie in production, but the director dropped out at the last minute and they ended having to give the rights back to Marvel.

[DragonKnight]

36 months, a.k.a. 3 years.

Why can't people just say things in years after a year passes? It's the same thing with babies. "How old is your baby?" "Oh, it's 22 months." Just say almost 2 years old. Geez.

Sorry, pet peeve of mine.

I doubt Nintendo is going to do anything with the trademark.

[XboxFun]

lol, I hear you on the baby age thing. It baffles me too when people say that. If you want to be that specific then give me the hours all the way down to the minutes.

On Topic:
I bet Nintendo could easily just re-release this game for their virtual console to get the trademark back.

[Concertoine]

Lol or like with pills "take once every 48 hours"

[Stringerbell]

The Dark Lord Cthulhu has a disdain for family, togetherness, and casual gamers. So yeah dont see Nintendo doing anything with this.

[tigertron]

Nintendo really should do a sequel to this.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

Monolith Soft could pull-off a good Sequel.

[R00bot]

Monolith soft could pull off a good anything. They're a brilliant studio.

[Metallox]

Eternal Darkness it's far away from being a Japanese game, so it doesn't seem they are the most indicated to do a new game.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

Good points to both you and quantae06.

The only thing I am not sure of is if Nintendo would do all of the Historical research that the previous game had.

SK were kind of crazy with their historical accuracy.

I remember an article where they said that they redid a scene with the stain glass window just because they were off by a couple of years from when that type of stain glass was possible.

The feeling of the game may be off-
but I think the Magic System would definitely benefit from them.

[quantae06]

I say let Retro Studios do it, or fund someone else to make it.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

^Good point^^^^