Hasbro Sued for Trademark Infringement

Portland-based developer Kellogg Creek Software has accused Hasbro of attempting to co-opt the trademarked name SpiritWars. Randy Chase, the creator of the 1998 online collectible card-style strategy game SpiritWars and founder of Kellogg Creek, is suing the publisher for trademark infringement. Hasbro plans to launch its new collectible card game, The Spirit Wars, this holiday season.

According to Richard Yugler, Kellogg Creek's attorney, Hasbro would have known the name was trademarked if it had conducted any reasonable trademark search. Chase trademarked the name in 1998 through Kellogg Creek Software. In addition, advertisements for SpiritWars appeared in a magazine owned by Wizards of the Coast, which was acquired by Hasbro in 1999. Kellogg Creek Software also owns the www.spiritwars.com URL.

The lawsuit is seeking either royalties on sales or a court order prohibiting Hasbro from launching the game. When asked for an official statement on the lawsuit, a Wizards of the Coast spokesperson said, "We will make a statement once we receive proper notification and have had time to review the documents."

For more information about Kellogg Creek's online strategy game SpiritWars, visit the official Web site.