Monster Energy targeted Pokemon and other games over trademark “confusion”
Nintendo, Capcom, Monster EnergyFamous brands like Pokemon and Monster Hunter were once targeted by Monster Energy over potential trademark “confusion.”
Monster Energy seems intent on becoming one of the sole “monster”-branded entities on the market. Many may recall that a few years ago, the energy drink company reportedly went after Ubisoft over its Gods and Monsters game.
The Ancient Greece-set, Zelda-inspired adventure with a clever name was eventually reduced to the less-inspired title of Immortals: Fenyx Rising.
Evidently, the fine folks at Monster Energy didn’t stop there. Nintendo’s pocket monsters and Capcom’s creature-hunting franchise previously fielded trademark complaints, as well.
Monster Energy filed complaints over Pokemon trademark
As reported by Japanese publication Automaton (via Joe Merrick), Monster Energy once petitioned Japan’s patent office to cancel trademark resignations for other brands that included some form of “monster” in their titles. Pokemon and Monster Hunter counted among the most high-profile targets.
According to Automaton, the petitions specifically went after Pokemon X and Y, as well as Sun and Moon. The energy drink company also objected to the use of Monster Hunter Cross and Monster Hunter as a brand. Free-to-play mobile game Monster Strike similarly sat on the receiving end of Monster Energy’s complaints.
Notably, Monster Energy IP holders were of the mind that other monster-branded trademarks would confuse consumers into thinking they were somehow connected to the popular energy drink.
Since Pokemon Sun and Moon and Monster Hunter Cross launched nearly a decade ago, it’s likely Monster Energy’s trademark complaints were filed many years in the past.
But a legal dispute with indie developer Glowstick Entertainment over the name of its 2020 game, Dark Deception: Monsters and Mortals, indicates the company won’t soon give up this fight.
Interestingly, the Automaton report notes that even the U.S. patent office received Monster Energy petitions in the past regarding the Toronto Raptors.
The NBA team has a monster claw logo that apparently ruffled the feathers of Monster Energy at some point. It would seem, then, that it’s not just about the “monster” name.
