Korean Game Developer Sues The9
Netease Tech, 12/07/09
Korean game developer Webzen has sued Chinese online game developer and operator The9 (Nasdaq: NCTY) for infringing on the trademark for its MMORPG MU. According to Webzen, a clause in a 2003 contract between the two companies requires The9 to return the trademark to Webzen upon request, after which any use of the MU trademark is unauthorized. Because The9 failed to relinquish the trademark to Webzen as stipulated in the contract, Webzen filed a lawsuit against The9 in Korea's central district court in Seoul.
In September, The9 issued a public notice stating that the name of its self-developed MMORPG MUX is in fact initials for "Miracle: Ultimate X," and that The9 would henceforth use the full name, but the company continued to use the name MUX on the game's official website.
Webzen has said that in addition to the trademark name, it believes the background music and main characters of MUX are plagiarized from MU, and therefore also infringe upon the MU trademark.
Webzen also plans to file the dispute with the joint copyright arbitration committee operated by China and Korea's respective Ministries of Culture to mediate the dispute.
Keywords: Webzen IPR infringement MU The9 Internet trademark MMORPG MUX NCTY law litigation online gaming
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