'1666' is latest trademark filed by Ubisoft
Ubisoft has been spotted to file another trademark for one of its IP, this time for "1666." The trademark filing includes Class 9.
Dual Shockers first spotted the new listing in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The publication notes that the new listing is different from the Class 9 and Class 41 trademark filing for "1966" dating Feb. 22, 2012. Class 9 refers to game software while Class 41 refers to online component to game software which could be leaderboards, multiplayer, and the like.
Not discounting the possibility that something might be in the works, trademark filings don't necessarily guarantee a new game is coming out anytime soon. Filing for trademarks is a way for publishers to protect its IP. In this case, reports suggest Ubisoft could be trying to protect "1666" particularly from "Assassin's Creed" developer Patrice Desilets.
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"1666" is assumed to be the same game as "1666: Amsterdam," of which Desilets was the lead developer when the IP was still with THQ. After THQ filed for bankruptcy, Ubisoft gained rights to it, along with Desilets, who it fired shortly afterward. Desilets retaliated with a lawsuit which stipulated that the rights of the game would go back to him should Ubisoft ever decide to cancel the game outright. So to avoid losing rights to the IP, the company has resorted to suspending it instead, explains Game Rant.
"1666" is the second trademark spotted to have been filed by Ubisoft this month. The first one was "Beyond Good and Evil," which gave rise to speculations that a sequel or something new from the franchise might be coming from the French developer-publisher.
Aside from Ubisoft, Bandai Namco was also spotted to file a new trademark for "Amazing Katamar Damacy." Like Ubisoft, the Japanese publisher's recent trademark filing also gave rise to sequel rumors.
