Does some bad news for those patiently awaiting Sony's The Last Guardian spell the end?
NewsUPDATE: Sony have once again confirmed that they have not abandoned The Last Guardian. The company told GameSpot that the U.S. trademark was abandoned due to an administrative error on PlayStation America's part.
So don't worry, you can keep suffering while your most highly-anticipated game continues to burn in development hell for all of eternity.
ORIGINAL: It's surfaced via the rumor mill that is NeoGAFthat Sony's heavily delayed, and highly anticipated title, The Last Guardian, may well be done for, at least in name. According to a post on NeoGAF, it's been revealed that the trademark for the game has been abandonded by Sony, despite the company renewing it three times previously.
The trademark, number 85700141, expired yesterday and bore that status of “Abandoned because no Statement of Use or Extension Request timely filed after Notice of Allowance was issued." This means that the name is no longer protected, pointing to Sony no longer pursuing the project, or at the very least, its name.
Is this a bad thing, and is the game no more? Well, so far Sony hasn't commented, but this news doesn't mean the end just yet. As detailed over at VentureBeat, who talked to a trademark lawyer about the issue, the abandoned patent isn't final, and can still be extended with a late renewal.
Sony may have simply overlooked the date for renewal, but even if this was on purpose, and the trademark actually has been abandoned, it's far more likely that Sony may simply be changing the game's title, as the initial trademark filed was an 'intent to use', not a final title.
The Last Guardian has had a very troubled development cycle thus far, with staff changes, set backs, and no-shows at major events. The latest official statement from Sony during E3 2014 said the game was still alive, and in production, but needed more time.
We'll have to wait and see what surfaces from all of this, and if The Last Guardian re-emerges with a new name. Stay tuned.
US Patent and Trademark Office
