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    Please do not post a support request without first reading and following the advice in https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

    Legal help needed

    General Discussion and Gaming
    copyright legal retropie trademark
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    • BuZz
      BuZz administrators last edited by BuZz

      https://retropie.org.uk/2017/02/legal-help-needed/

      RetroPie has been trademarked in the USA by a 3rd party. They are using the trademark to issue take down requests to retailers, including those who are just selling hardware listed as “compatible with RetroPie”. Meanwhile they are selling RetroPie via their website and Ebay.

      There is a risk that this person may try and use the trademark against us too.

      We would like to challenge the trademark – It was filed after we were using the name, and they are using it to associate themselves with our software.

      If you are an attorney or think you could help – please drop us an email at retropieproject [at] gmail.com.

      Many thanks.

      caver01 edmaul69 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 16
      • caver01
        caver01 @BuZz last edited by

        @BuZz The same person/group also registered EMULATION STATION.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
        • markyh444
          markyh444 last edited by

          I hate people

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 6
          • LS650
            LS650 last edited by

            How incredibly scumbaggy. :(

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
            • Rion
              Rion last edited by

              What in the h**l! It's apparently registred to Aditya Rawat

              Filing Date - 2016-05-18
              Registration Date - 2016-12-27

              Attorney Shehla Syed

              hooperre 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • hooperre
                hooperre @Rion last edited by

                @Rion Dude. Anything we can do in protest?

                Direct Dial & Fax: (978) 274-7053
                Email: ssyed@westhillcounsel.com

                lilbud 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • lilbud
                  lilbud @hooperre last edited by

                  @hooperre I say we do what byuu did when the USPS lost his snes package, post it everywhere and tell anyone who will listen

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                  • cylum
                    cylum last edited by

                    I've posted links and information on this situation to a few of the bigger RetroPie Facebook groups and a couple Anonymous communities to help spread the word.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                    • Rascas
                      Rascas last edited by Rascas

                      I am not a lawyer, far from that, but didn't you registered the name/brand in some country ? If you have, you can contact the US autorities, give the documents to prove you are legit, and once they check that trademark is "fake" / "ilegit" they should remove it, since this is cleary a case of taking advantage of something that aren't theirs and than they will have problems specially if you sue them.
                      I am sorry but I cannot explained this very well, i lack the proper english vocabulary for that.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • daeks
                        daeks last edited by daeks

                        @BuZz maybe that helps you for contacting: https://www.facebook.com/eddywebs (seen in some recalbox/retropie facebook groups/postings)

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • byo
                          byo last edited by

                          If you can prove you used that name before the trademark was registered with the website and forums, wouldn't that be enough?

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • gizmo98
                            gizmo98 Global Moderator last edited by

                            This is so outrageous and disgusting. Selling hardware bundled with RetroPie is worse enough. But stealing our name, sueing other people "in our name" and selling our software?! I have no words. If everything is futile delete all and everything. I hope they will be happy with their "trademark" then.

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • edmaul69
                              edmaul69 @BuZz last edited by edmaul69

                              @BuZz i have some friends who have had issues with a guy selling bootleg copies of their colecovision games. I am trying to get all the info i can from them to help you. They do happen to have a friend in ebay that shut him down and permanently banned him from ebay. If he is selling the software on ebay i might be able to help with that. Any copyrights you have will help. But no matter what he does he has no legal rights to your work from the second you created it and i should be able to get the info you need to fight his copyright.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • auswear
                                auswear last edited by

                                I have registered several trademarks and unfortunately if someone gets in before you there's not much you can do. Even if you own the website and they have the trademark in your country, they can legally take it from you.

                                He's created it in the correct class however from what I can tell, he's only trademarked a logo and not a word. Applications go into a public national gazette for 6 months prior to approval so people can object to them.. but honestly, who's going to check that every few months? My trademarks go through easily every time.

                                It looks like he's created some kind of international trademark but I can't see what Countries it's applicable to. Each Country you choose has it's own associated cost - you can't just blanket trademark the entire globe.

                                If you can find out for sure if it's just that ugly typeface he trademarked they you're ok, but if it's the word then there isn't much you can do. The easiest (and cheapest) option is to change the name of Retropie (and trademark it before you go live!)

                                Rascas 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                • UDb23
                                  UDb23 last edited by

                                  It seems Retropie is not yet a registered trademark in Europe, according to EUIPO site.
                                  Single class registration is 850 euro.
                                  We could think of reaching the amount by donations so you can register it, at least in europe.

                                  StoneSkywalker 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                  • Rascas
                                    Rascas @auswear last edited by Rascas

                                    @auswear Yes, this is more or less what I know from my experience in my country, I think it works more or less the same here. This is a bit complicated, because like you said, you can register different parts/things like, names, logos, intelectual property etc, and national or international, and depending what you do, the price changes alot.
                                    I am not aware of applications (intelectual property ?), but if it is like you said, since it seems that in this case it was approved for opposition in 2016-10-11, can't the real RetroPie still make an objection ?

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • Nismo
                                      Nismo last edited by

                                      I don't understand how some people can do this so easily, it's a shame.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                                      • FlyingTomahawk
                                        FlyingTomahawk last edited by FlyingTomahawk

                                        Sorry to hear about your troubles.
                                        This seems to be common practice these days. They register all kinds of names and URLs even stuff that doesn't exist yet. Just so that you have to pay them later to release that name or brand if you want it. Very sly way of doing business.
                                        These people are scum, the only thing they do is think how to piss on other peoples hard work so that they can enrich themselves.

                                        Those registration offices should really rethink their policies and stop people from registerering brand or names that they are not directly connected or associated with. These things should not happen in the first place.

                                        Worst case shut down everything, rename, rebrand, register everything and I mean everything , every single pixel. Then re-launch.

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • caver01
                                          caver01 last edited by caver01

                                          What I don't understand is their angle. If they are trying to profit from selling something called RetroPie and then RetroPie rebrands, they have to do it all over again. It seems like you would want to leave well enough alone if you don't want the product to pivot underneath your marketing effort.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • hooperre
                                            hooperre last edited by

                                            0_1487985038496_Capture.PNG

                                            His uploaded project on GitHub admits he isn't the original creator of EmulationStation.

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
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