An American film production company has initiated a trademark infringement lawsuit against Sony and developer Shift Up over the PS5 action-adventure game, Stellar Blade.

Stellar Blade Sued By “Stellarblade” for Trademark Infringement

Both Trademarks Duly Registered

Shift Up, the developer behind the PS5 action-adventure game Stellar Blade, along with Sony, faces a lawsuit from a film production company named "Stellarblade." The lawsuit, filed in a Louisiana court, alleges trademark infringement by the film company, based in Louisiana, against Sony and Shift Up.

Griffith Chambers Mehaffey, the owner of Stellarblade, claims that his company, which specializes in "Commercials, Documentaries, Music Videos & Independent Films," has suffered damage due to Sony and Shift Up's use of the "Stellar Blade" name. Mehaffey argues that the game's name has diluted the online visibility of his business, making it challenging for customers searching for "Stellarblade" to find relevant information amidst the "Stellar Blade" search results.

Mehaffey is seeking monetary damages, attorney fees, and an injunction to prevent Sony and Shift Up from using the "Stellar Blade" trademark or any similar variations. Additionally, he requests that all "Stellar Blade" materials in the possession of the game companies be transferred to him for destruction.

Mehaffey registered the "Stellarblade" trademark in June 2023 and sent a cease and desist letter to Shift Up the following month. He has owned the stellarblade.com domain since 2006, using it for his film production company since 2011.

In a statement to IGN, Mehaffey's lawyer suggested that it is "difficult to imagine that Shift Up and Sony were unaware of Mr. Mehaffey's established rights before adopting their identical mark." Stellar Blade was initially announced as "Project Eve" in 2019, later renamed to "Stellar Blade" in 2022. Shift Up registered the "Stellar Blade" trademark in January 2023, while Mehaffey registered "Stellarblade" in June 2023.

"Mr. Mehaffey registered the stellarblade.com domain in 2006 and has been using the STELLARBLADE name for his business for nearly 15 years. We believe in fair competition, but when larger companies disregard the established rights of smaller businesses, it's our responsibility to stand up and protect our brand," Mehaffey's lawyer told IGN. "The defendants’ far superior resources have effectively monopolized online search results for STELLARBLADE, pushing Mr. Mehaffey's long-established business into digital obscurity and threatening the livelihood he's built over more than a decade." Mehaffey also highlighted the similarity between both logos and the stylized letter 'S' in the names as grounds for the lawsuit.

It's important to note that trademark rights can apply retroactively, meaning protection extends beyond the filing date of the trademark.