Stellar Blade vs \"Stellarblade\" Lawsuit Makes It More Confusing

A Louisiana film production company, Stellarblade, has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Sony and Shift Up, the developer of the PS5 game Stellar Blade. The suit alleges that the game's title and branding damage Stellarblade's business and online visibility.

The core of the dispute centers on the similarity between the names "Stellarblade" and "Stellar Blade," both of which are registered trademarks. Stellarblade, owned by Griffith Chambers Mehaffey, claims its film production business, specializing in commercials, documentaries, and music videos, suffers from reduced online presence due to the game's prominence in search results.

Mehaffey seeks monetary compensation, legal fees, and an injunction to halt the use of "Stellar Blade" (and variations thereof) by Sony and Shift Up. He also demands the destruction of all related game materials. Mehaffey registered his "Stellarblade" trademark in June 2023, following a cease-and-desist letter to Shift Up. He claims ownership of the stellarblade.com domain since 2006 and has operated his business under that name since 2011.

Shift Up initially announced the game as "Project Eve" in 2019, changing the name to "Stellar Blade" in 2022 and registering the trademark in January 2023. Mehaffey's lawyer argues that Sony and Shift Up should have been aware of Mehaffey's prior rights. The lawyer highlights the "confusingly similar" logos and stylized "S" as further evidence of infringement.

The lawsuit raises the complex issue of retroactive trademark rights, which can extend protection beyond the official registration date. The outcome will depend on the court's assessment of the trademark similarities, the timing of registrations, and the potential for consumer confusion.