MDY Industries has agreed to pay World of Warcraft creator Blizzard $6,000,000 in damages arising from the use of MDY’s game bots in World of Warcraft, pending appeal. The court formalized this agreement with an Order and Stipulated Judgment (.pdf). Blizzard prevailed on several key issues at summary judgment earlier this year, setting up this [...]
Second Life creator Linden Lab is apparently in negotiations with in-world production studio and broadcaster SLCN.tv over SLCN’s pending trademark registration for the characters “SLCN” for “broadcasting radio and television programs in a virtual environment.” Linden Lab sought, and has been granted, a 90-day Request for an Extension of Time (.pdf) for Linden Lab to [...]
Quick programming note: I’m appearing on Metanomics on Monday, September 29 at 12:00 Noon PDT on a panel discussing Robert Bloomfield’s recent interview with Second Life founder Philip Rosedale. Other panelists include Christian Renaud, Wagner James Au, ‘Dusan Writer,’ Nic Mitham, Tish Shute, ‘Betinna Tizzy,’ and Roland Legrand. You can catch Metanomics “live” in Second [...]
Posted in 3D Internet, Clippings, Lawsuits, Providers, RMT/RCE, Virtual ADR, Virtual Government, Virtual Law, Virtual Law Libraries, Virtual Law Practice, Virtual Legal Education, Virtual Legal Orgs., Virtual Pro Bono, Virtual Worlds & Games on September 25th, 2008 No Comments »
I’m excited to report that I co-authored the cover article, Virtual Worlds, Real World Issues, for the the inaugural issue of Landslide. Landslide is a new magazine from the Intellectual Property Law Section of the American Bar Association; it should be arriving in mailboxes this week. My co-author is Sean Kane, who is also one [...]
The judge in MDY v. Blizzard has issued an order (.pdf) denying Blizzard’s request for a permanent injunction which would have effectively shut down MDY’s operations in advance of trial. For the full background of this suit, see Virtually Blind’s complete coverage of MDY v. Blizzard.
Blizzard had asked for several extraordinary measures, including prohibiting the [...]
Posted in 3D Internet, Commentary, Contract Law, Copyright Law, Lawsuits, Linden Lab, Providers, Second Life, VB Features, Virtual Worlds & Games on September 22nd, 2008 4 Comments »
Metanomics host Robert Bloomfield interviewed Second Life founder and Chairman of the Board, Philip Rosedale, on the record at the Second Life Community Convention in Tampa, Florida. The Rosedale interview is now available. Rosedale addressed several issues that involve legal and governance questions, and Robert asked me to post a brief reaction. Robert has also [...]
The fall season of the popular in-world metaverse business and policy show Metanomics kicks off in Second Life on Monday, September 22, at 12:00 (noon) Pacific with a special edition of Metanomics featuring the show’s usual host, Professor Robert Bloomfield of Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, in the guest chair.
I am honored to [...]
We periodically run “Virtual Law Quicklinks” whenever we have a backlog of interesting items that aren’t big enough for full posts. Here’s today’s batch.
Eros, the virtual adult-animation company owned by Second Life’s ‘Stroker Serpentine,’ has secured registration for the “SexGen” trademark. Eros has been at the center of two lawsuits over in-world copyright and trademark [...]
Several key trademark applications for Second Life creator Linden Lab will be published for opposition over the next month. Applications slated to enter this phase include those for the marks:
SL
YOUR WORLD. YOUR IMAGINATION.
SECOND LIFE GRID
SL GRID
SECOND
2ND LIFE
Linden Lab has applications entering this phase for two logos (pictured right and below) as well.
Linden Lab also has [...]
Posted in Lawsuits, Linden Lab, Minsky v. Linden Lab, Providers, SLART Cancellation, Second Life, Trademark Law, Virtual Law, Virtual Law Practice, Virtual Worlds & Games on September 16th, 2008 6 Comments »
Opening a second front in its dispute over “SLART” with artist and “SLART” trademark registrant Richard Minsky, Second Life creator Linden Lab has filed a Petition for Cancellation (.pdf) with the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeals Board seeking to cancel registration of “SLART.” Minsky has filed an Answer (.pdf). Trial (which, at the TTAB, is [...]
