Skyblock and the Minecraft Marketplace: A Legal Battle

I signed it, I wish you the best!

 

100% in your corner, noobcrew. Petition signed, pulling for you.

 

I believe that you should have the rights to the term you coined and to be able to keep the legacy you started.

 

Thank you, and please keep fighting.

 

EASY GAMES HAS NO RIGHT TO BE THERE WHAT.
ITS MORE CLOSER TO HYPIXEL SKYBLOCK THAN ACTUAL SKYBLOCK WHY IS IT THERE????

 

Because they complained. They objected the Mark. Skyblock is defending here.

 

Support from Laos

 

All my homies love Noobcrew, get that W boss!

 

I'm not very active on the forums these days so this is the first time I've read this. I was made aware of the case years ago. I had no idea it was still ongoing to this day.

Even when I was, for some unknown reason, sent one of the documents outlining the ongoing case years ago, I truly didn't realise the actual severity of what was happening and what was going on. I just thought oh they're just milking the Skyblock name and attempting to profit off it. Nooo.... it's much larger than that... and now I know.

A lot has been said that I wanted to say, so I will keep this pretty short (for my standards).

I've always hated Microsoft. If you've seen anything regarding one of my late night rants about the troglodyte of a company, you still wouldn't understand how deeply I hate them. I hate that I use Windows on a daily basis for schooling, gaming and other means. I want the OS to burn but there's no real competitor to it. I don't exactly want to daily Linux due to the ongoing upkeep requirements and the extra hassle regarding virtually everything. I don't wanna use MacOS because is Apple really any better than Microsoft?

According to the fact that they respected the trademark, apparently they are. Hats off, Apple.

Nowadays, Microsoft is a company that turns other companies, studios, and many other things that needed help to create a better product, by helping them turn to s***. It's been an ongoing cycle for years and years and that cycle has never changed, not for as long as I've been alive. Now they're genuinely attempt to invalidate a mark and steal IP, it's an absolute new low. I thought dropshipping was a crappy thing to do but those people actually need somewhat of an income. That and they're following the same business practice as virtually every company around them. Buy cheap bulk, sell for higher, no copyright needed because they're independant bulk-sell companies.

I was honestly never expecting the case to drag out this long. But at the same time, I'm not surprised. Corporates will find any reason to drain all the money out of their opposition to stop them from persuing legally - mind I say the absolute joke of a legal system - what's the point of having a copyright/trademark division if you're not going to respect copyrights or trademarks? Or the point of having a legal system to settle landmarks if the biggest company wins just because they have the most money?

I genuinely envy you Noobcrew for fighting the good fight for this god damn long. I grew up with the server and the map, I'd hate to see it go. I hope they can give you what's rightfully yours. Losing this would paint a seriously grim image for many people - pretty much any digital media creator in general - regarding copyright or trademarks in general.

That image is:
What's the purpose of copyright or a trademark if the bigger company, who is profiting off it, will just steal your intellectual property anyways?

 

Consider "Stampy's Lovely World". It has existed as a singular YouTuber's Minecraft world for a similar amount of time. Thousands of people have attempted to replicate parts or all of the world as fans so they could play on their own. If Stampy had desired to release his world on the marketplace (which he recently has) and other creators posted their versions of "Stampy's Lovely world", using the name and phrases like "The original Stampy's Lovely World" or "Stampy's Funland" without clearly stating that it was a replica, then of course it would be taken down. The only differences I see between your "Skyblock" and Stampy's "Stampy's Lovely World" is that 1) Your world was publicly available since its creation and 2) Your world has less blocks. But when "Skyblock" worlds are released with your *exact*, distinct, and widely recognized layout, it's clear that it is your own creation they are replicating, not a ubiquitous idea. The "L" shape of the island, for example, and the placement of the chest, have no strategical bearing on the gameplay experience itself. Yet they capitalize on this shape for brand recognition.

In another sense, I see this like trying to claim that "Kleenex", "Thermos", or "Band-Aid" should lose their trademarks because they are now colloquial and used generically. Many people use these terms exclusively, even when referring to a generic product, yet it is widely known and accepted that these terms shall not be used in marketing or promotional purposes. I believe the same principles should apply here as well.


I greatly appreciate your grace in allowing others to use your concept with its apt name in their own creative ways as they see fit. I don't think you should be punished when it comes to your own original product for allowing others to use it as you see fit. When it comes to trademark, I am aware there is a "duty to protect" the trademark, or else it could be considered abandoned. But in your case, I believe you have protected it in the ways you are desiring for it to apply. You have defended your trademark in any case where it is being claimed and sold as original. No one else can sell simply "Skyblock" or "Original Skyblock", and if they do, you have sent Cease and Desists. So I believe your trademark should apply in such cases. Whatever the legal equivalent of the thing you have been protecting is, they should allow you to have that, and companies should not be allowed to infringe on the thing you have been protecting.

As a final point, information spreads quickly on the Internet. While it may not be widely known that you wish to protect this concept, and as such many may accidentally infringe, simply a few popular Minecraft YouTubers creating YouTube shorts covering this topic would suffice to spread the information throughout the community, as many other creators would pick up on it and begin covering it. it can quickly become widely known, just as information trends like "velcro is a brand" spread and become common knowledge. This would be especially aided by the eager promotion of controversy.

In short (tldr), Skyblock is instantly recognizable with the iconic L shape, with the singular Oak tree placed on one side and the chest placed on the other. When one says "Skyblock", especially "Classic Skyblock" or "Original Skyblock", they picture this, and have a vague understanding that it had an original creator and specific original layout. When one says "Hypixel Skyblock", they picture something wholly different. I believe it is clear to most long-time players that someone owns this concept, even if the specifics are not understood. And the specifics could be spread easily through channels such as Reddit and YouTube, now that this problem is identified.

 

Don't listen to the haters Crew, just go forward with your work in skyblock. We are with you.

 

Now you care about exploitative business?

There are so many different variations of your "SkyBlock" that it really has been a general term, and has even been a general term before you applied for the trademark.

Maybe if you updated your game a bit earlier you would still be big fish.

However you do hold the trademark for the name so do of that what you wish.

Nvm, dude only got it "passed over" in 2020 passed skyblock prime

9 years after launch​

 

No trademark is held, it was objected. That's the entire point of this thread, it wouldn't exist if it went smoothly.

 

Then what is bro yapping about then,

He had many years to apply for a trademark he should have done it sooner.

To be fair Microsoft is right in this case about the trademark.

 

I think you missed the point completely

Like, the point soared way over your head, missed by a football field, and you’ve still managed to duck and run for cover because you were worried the wind would’ve hit you.

He’s been trying to for 7 years man. Microsoft and associates have objected it. He’s been fighting the case since. It’s not new news, and I hate to say it but you’re out of touch.

 

signed

 

Im not sure what you are trying to say,

I understand, I agree with why Microsoft is objecting it


He created his skyblock in 2011, then didn't file for trademark until 2019. 8 years after it blew up. That's like Steve Jobs not trademarking Iphone until he realsed the iPhone 8.

He should have done it sooner and since he didn't he doesn't have a strong case to gain his rights to the trademark.

 

And even if jobs did that, he still would've gotten trademark, it's his IP


to be honest, with the words you use like 'yapping' and what your saying now, it seems like you might be a kid who doesn't understand anything noobcrew said in his post

 

Let me rephrase it better, it's like jobs trying to trade mark the term "phone" after he relased the iphone 8. Just like skyblock the phone is a generic term and dosent have strong case to become trademarked. Thus why Microsoft is even trying to block the trademark going though.

 

The thing is, this costs noobcrew a lot of money and time, and he loses a lot from losing the case, but for microsoft it doesnt affect them if they lose a bit and lose or win the case