EA trademarks classic gaming titles

Author: Joe Martin
Published: 12th August 2009
Comments (22) Stumble
EA trademarks classic gaming titles

Electronic Arts could be looking to revive a series of classic PC gaming titles judging from the recent spate of patents.

Electronic Arts has filed a spate of new trademarks recently for a bunch of classic gaming licenses which are sure to get gamers excited and/or wary.

There are four trademarks in particular, all of which were picked up by superannuation on Tumblr - Theme Park, Populous, Wing Commander and Road Rash. Could remakes of these titles be on the way?

The timing of the trademarks is especially interesting for the former Bullfrog titles, Populous and Theme Park, as it was only yesterday that an EA spokesperson mentioned that the publisher would be interested in revisiting those licenses in the future. Things move fast in the games publishing world, it seems.

Electronic Arts hasn't yet commented on what it's exact plans for each franchise is and it's entirely likely that nothing will come of the trademarks either, but there have been constant rumours lately that a new Road Rash could be in the works, for example.

We'll let you know more when we have it, but for now it seems there isn't much more to go on other than the existence of these new trademarks and the deep-seated hope that somewhere, somewhen, somebody might make a semi-decent Wing Commander game again.

Which of those trademarks has you most excited? Let us know your thoughts on the forums.
Quote Trefarm 12th August 2009, 11:05
Do younger gamers care about these old franchises, times have moved on and all these games represent ideas/genres better implemented by modern descendants.
Won't old timers (like me) just grump that it's not as good as it was on the blah blah, back in 19blah... But I'll still keep my fingers crossed for a Wing Commander revival.
Quote Abhorsen 12th August 2009, 11:08
Road Rash ftw!! I wanna hit Viper round the head with a chain again!
Quote Paradigm Shifter 12th August 2009, 11:11
Is it trademarks or patents that EA are slinging? Because while I'm no solicitor, as far as I was aware they're different things. I ask because of the picture caption mentioning patents, while the body text talks about trademarks.

...

Want Wing Commander, Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper. Keeping the core gameplay but updating the graphics on all of them will be enough.
Quote perplekks45 12th August 2009, 11:18
THEME PARK!!!

Quote DreamCatcher 12th August 2009, 12:05
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paradigm Shifter
Want Wing Commander, Syndicate and Dungeon Keeper. Keeping the core gameplay but updating the graphics on all of them will be enough.

W I N G C O M M A N D E R

WC2 was the game that brought me to PC-Gaming and made me buy WC1 only one and a half week later - still have all parts installed on various older machines kept only for that purpose...
Quote Denis_iii 12th August 2009, 12:50
WC2 was awesome
ship handling getting all messed up as take damage
jumpdrive stopping working"if memory serves be right"
and seeing the ship come into dock with the phaser burns and holes :) was so kewl, none of the Wing commanders since were as kewl
Quote Combinho 12th August 2009, 12:56
New Road Rash - sign me up. I still have very fond memories of that game. Though the 3-D N64 version wan't a patch on the original, so they'd better not ruin it.
Quote kenco_uk 12th August 2009, 12:59
Quote:
Originally Posted by perplekks45
THEME PARK!!!

Theme Park would do well to be brought up to date. There's not really much competition for Roller Coaster Tycoon.

Syndicate would probably turn into a 3d sandbox, like gta with trenchcoats.
Quote chimaera 12th August 2009, 13:11
I'd love to see a reboot of Wing Commander, Syndicate and Road Rash. Especially the first two :) There has been a criminal lack of decent space combat games in recent years. I'd be in favour of WC3-4-5 type sci-fi FLV for that matter, was cheesy but it did suit the game...
Quote yakyb 12th August 2009, 13:14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Abhorsen
Road Rash ftw!! I wanna hit Viper round the head with a chain again!

i always hated PE no. 1
Quote kosch 12th August 2009, 13:21
They might be thinking about doing a new WC possibley!

http://www.wcnews.com/index.shtml#9644
Quote jim48509 12th August 2009, 14:55
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trefarm
Do younger gamers care about these old franchises, times have moved on and all these games represent ideas/genres better implemented by modern descendants.
Won't old timers (like me) just grump that it's not as good as it was on the blah blah, back in 19blah... But I'll still keep my fingers crossed for a Wing Commander revival.

+1

Loved that game.
Quote SMIFFYDUDE 12th August 2009, 15:44
This is spooky, I was thinking about a Wing Commander revival just last night when I found an old WC3 box as I was clearing out the study.
Quote skpstr 12th August 2009, 15:45
I'd be well up for a bit of Dungeon Keeper.

I know it's Lucas Arts, but my one wish would be to bring Tie Fighter to Live Arcade. Some of the best multiplayer fun I've ever had.
Quote FeRaL 12th August 2009, 16:58
.
Quote FeRaL 12th August 2009, 16:59
Quote:
Originally Posted by chimaera
I'd love to see a reboot of Wing Commander, Syndicate and Road Rash. Especially the first two :) There has been a criminal lack of decent space combat games in recent years. I'd be in favour of WC3-4-5 type sci-fi FLV for that matter, was cheesy but it did suit the game...

Here's the one that has some promise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Red_Line
Quote Jojii 12th August 2009, 17:18
Wing commander. Oh god. I loved 3. 4 was kinda confusing because it was movie first with a game strapped to it and prophecy came out of nowhere with bugs and ****. Don't get me started on the movie. Mark hamill cameo is a must.

I might consider getting a joystick again.
Quote Xir 13th August 2009, 07:42
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jojii
...I might consider getting a joystick again.

Mine's attached to me on one end, isn't your's? ;)
Quote chimaera 13th August 2009, 09:19
Quote:
Originally Posted by FeRaL
Quote:
Originally Posted by chimaera
I'd love to see a reboot of Wing Commander, Syndicate and Road Rash. Especially the first two :) There has been a criminal lack of decent space combat games in recent years. I'd be in favour of WC3-4-5 type sci-fi FLV for that matter, was cheesy but it did suit the game...

Here's the one that has some promise.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyond_the_Red_Line

Surely you mean "Had" - I thought dev work had more or less ceased as of last year sometime?
Quote Journeyer 13th August 2009, 10:59
Oooh! A possible Wing Commander remake? Preciousss!
Quote Blademrk 13th August 2009, 13:03
Read somewhere yesterday (Geeks.co.uk, although it's probably conjecture) that these are for iphone versions...
Quote Xir 14th August 2009, 08:59
...so I need an IPhone Emulator for the PC?

What has the world come to...
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