[Ria dell]

Here's hoping this new development means something!

There is, 6 is the limit, but Bethesda can only have 5 because July 31st will be 36 months since they got their Notice of Allowance, which is the maximum amount of time they can't not use their trademark.

Hmm, cool. But then, couldn't they just reapply uncontested unless someone else has the paperwork ready for it on the day of?

[~Amy~]

Though they'd need to wait a prescribed time before reapplying. Something like a year, I think.

[sarah simon-rogaume]

Hmm, cool. But then, couldn't they just reapply uncontested unless someone else has the paperwork ready for it on the day of?

Well, technically they could, but the big problem is that it takes anywhere from a few months to more than a year to get a Notice of Allowance after filing for the trademark, which is a long amount of time for Bethesda, a company who needs money, to be practically forced not to announce the game because they don't have it trademarked. For example, it took around 8 months after the filing date for Bethesda to get the NOA on the Skyrim trademark.

[Kevin Jay]

Well, technically they could, but the big problem is that it takes anywhere from a few months to more than a year to get a Notice of Allowance after filing for the trademark, which is a long amount of time for Bethesda, a company who needs money, to be practically forced not to announce the game because they don't have it trademarked. For example, it took around 8 months after the filing date for Bethesda to get the NOA on the Skyrim trademark.

They do need money, but they're still getting royalties off old games and games their parent company is publishing. Hunted, Brink, and Rage haven't come out yet, I think they can sip by without an announcement for awhile. New Vegas is also probably earning them some coin on the side. Don't get me wrong though, I would love for them to say they're making the next TES soon.

There is also the looming impending doom of a TES MMO that Zenimax could be making.

[hannah sillery]

They do need money, but they're still getting royalties off old games and games their parent company is publishing. Hunted, Brink, and Rage haven't come out yet, I think they can sip by without an announcement for awhile. New Vegas is also probably earning them some coin on the side. Don't get me wrong though, I would love for them to say they're making the next TES soon.

There is also the looming impending doom of a TES MMO that Zenimax could be making.

The TES MMO has nothing to do with Bethesda Game Studios. And it's pretty probable that they are making the TES MMO.

[Danger Mouse]

The TES MMO has nothing to do with Bethesda Game Studios. And it's pretty probable that they are making the TES MMO.

I think he was just saying that they will be getting some money for it. And considering they are owned by Zenimax, just like Zenimax Online is, I can only assume they will be. And they'll probably be publishing it.

And while it's true that they'll be making money off of their published games, I think they know how much more money they'll get from a new TES game.

[Kara Payne]

Here's when all of Bethsda's Skyrim trademarks expire:

July 31st= Computer and video game user instruction manuals; magazines, books, and pamphlets concerning video games; computer and video game strategy guides
August 18th= Computer game programs; downloadable computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices
September 11th= Clothing, namely shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets; headgear, namely, headwear.

I wonder if they'll let the July 31st one expire? Considering it's only for manuals and strategy guides, not the game itself? I doubt it though.

[Richard]

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with any of this, but very recently, Todd Howard's Wikipedia entry has changed. Before it said that he is "currently working on an un-named project, rumoured to be The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim". Now, that statement has been deleted.

[Tiffany Carter]

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with any of this, but very recently, Todd Howard's Wikipedia entry has changed. Before it said that he is "currently working on an un-named project, rumoured to be The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim". Now, that statement has been deleted.

The page's history says the change was for the "Removal of unsupported rumor about Howard's next project." And while we know it's a supported rumor because of the trademark, we don't have a source on any gaming news sites that give credence to the rumor, so technically, as far as sources go, it's an unsupported rumor.

[Alessandra Botham]

I wonder if they'll let the July 31st one expire? Considering it's only for manuals and strategy guides, not the game itself? I doubt it though.

Yeah, I've wondered that myself as well but I likewise consider that course of action doubtful. If they'd allow it to expire, your argument of why they bothered to renew it in January if they're just going to allow it to expire later is compelling.

[Ludivine Dupuy]

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this, but under "Current Status" in the TARR status screen, this is now there: " A request for the fifth extension of time to file a statement of use has been granted.", whereas used to it was simply " A request for the fifth extension has been granted."

So, apparently, the extension of time has now been changed to be an extension that will now be used to file a statement of use, which means they should be attempting to use it soon.

I think. :bonk:

I'm no legal expert (I'm a writing person, not a business person) that seems to be right.

If they have gotten five extensions, I don't think there is any limit on extensions.

If they are showing that they are using it then there's no limit. If they don't show they are using it, it expires in July. Therefore, they have to use it by July or waste a lot of time and money.

[Jade Payton]

sounds like its been made up (mainly cause of the oblivion related stuff) but:

http://forumplanet.gamespy.com/oblivion_general_discussion/b49649/20231671/p1/?6



eh, fits most fact we think are true....its got no proof actually backing it up.

[Hayley O'Gara]

sounds like its been made up (mainly cause of the oblivion related stuff) but:

http://forumplanet.gamespy.com/oblivion_general_discussion/b49649/20231671/p1/?6



eh, fits most fact we think are true....its got no proof actually backing it up.

That's ridiculous (as you've recognized), for a few reasons:

1. Ashley Cheng, the Production Director for Bethesda, is waaay too important an employee to let such a huge secret slip. If it was one of the nameless people working at Bethesda, sure. But Cheng? No, no no, that would never happen. It wouldn't be too different from Todd Howard himself getting drunk and blabbing about it.

2. We already have something that bridges the gap between Oblivion and TES V, they're these little things called the two books Bethesda is releasing. To turn those two books into DLC for Oblivion would not only be incredibly reckless, considering the events of the book are not something that can be made into simple DLC, but just wouldn't make sense at all really.

Now, the guy who made this info is somewhat clever. I wouldn't be surprised if he reads what we say in these Speculation topics. The game will likely be set in Skyrim, we know that. It will very likely be released in 2012, we know that. And we know that Bethesda has to announce it before the end of July, making an E3 announcement seem pretty likely. So if all of those very likely things come to pass, his made-up theory will basically be "proven" to be true. The only thing stopping it from being totally validated is the ridiculous notion that Bethesda will be making not one, but two, new DLCs for Oblivion. He totally jumped the shark on that one.

Now to totally disprove the theory, I present to you http://twitter.com/Ashileedo from March 26-28, when PAX East was taking place:

watching jamie oliver's food revolution. a great, and depressing, show.
1:31 PM Mar 28th via Ping.fm

Late lunch: Hanks Oyster in Dupont
10:24 AM Mar 28th via Ping.fm

saturday: afternoon at jeff memorial, maybe national gallery, mandarin oriental tonight
5:35 AM Mar 27th via Ping.fm

pizza for dinner, cooked on bbq grill. yummm...
3:11 PM Mar 26th via Ping.fm

So yeah. It was obviously fake, but that pretty much proves it. Unless Cheng was trying really hard to hide where he was and how drunk he was, of course.

[Farrah Barry]

They do need money, but they're still getting royalties off old games and games their parent company is publishing. Hunted, Brink, and Rage haven't come out yet, I think they can sip by without an announcement for awhile. New Vegas is also probably earning them some coin on the side. Don't get me wrong though, I would love for them to say they're making the next TES soon.

There is also the looming impending doom of a TES MMO that Zenimax could be making.

Brink, New Vegas, and Rage are due for release soon, and the MMO is seen as Zenimax's ballpark, not Bethesda's. They'll need new game announcements to keep the media spotlight on their company now that most of their known games are right around the corner. A TES:V announcement before (or at) E3 fits that bill perfectly, since Hunted can't carry that torch alone.

[Laura Tempel]

I'm no legal expert (I'm a writing person, not a business person) that seems to be right.


If they are showing that they are using it then there's no limit. If they don't show they are using it, it expires in July. Therefore, they have to use it by July or waste a lot of time and money.

There IS a limit, and it's 6.

sounds like its been made up (mainly cause of the oblivion related stuff) but:

http://forumplanet.gamespy.com/oblivion_general_discussion/b49649/20231671/p1/?6



eh, fits most fact we think are true....its got no proof actually backing it up.

Definitely fake. Haha.

[Shae Munro]

There IS a limit, and it's 6.

But if they file an intent to use before it expires, the limit wont matter anymore and the trademark will stay active for much longer. I think I read that it will stay Live for 10 years, but don't quote me on that.

[kelly thomson]

sounds like its been made up (mainly cause of the oblivion related stuff) but:

http://forumplanet.gamespy.com/oblivion_general_discussion/b49649/20231671/p1/?6

hmm, might be referring to this http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Ashley_Cheng If it is true that poster probably got the dude fired. Thats a dike move.

but if there is a production director position open for any amount of time we could get some confirmation.

Edit: whoops, missed that part in your post Antibody

[candice keenan]

hmm, might be referring to this http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Ashley_Cheng If it is true that poster probably got the dude fired. Thats a dike move.

but if there is a production director position open for any amount of time we could get some confirmation.

Like I said before, his tweets show that he wasn't anywhere near PAX when it was going on. The story is fake.

[jessica Villacis]

Fake, definitely. Still, it was an entertaining segment of my day.

[Sandeep Khatkar]

I wonder when the next huge Fantasy-genre box office hit will come out? Lord of the Rings got the fantasy-vibe rolling in many different mediums. The juice was flowing after we all watched those movies.

Maybe another big medieval-type fantasy craze will slash the nation, and the developers will start feeling like really rolling up their sleeves for TES:5. They know how anxiously we're all awaiting it. :nerd:

[:)Colleenn]

Okay so I've read tons of you guys' posts most of which make plenty of sense.However it's become blended together. Someone please tell my why skyrim isn't the MMOG. After researching other websites I legitimately think that's what it's gonna be. (terrible news IMO) If you can make me believe it's I'll be much happier and +5 Internets for you.

[Kathryn Medows]

I wonder when the next huge Fantasy-genre box office hit will come out? Lord of the Rings got the fantasy-vibe rolling in many different mediums. The juice was flowing after we all watched those movies.

Maybe another big medieval-type fantasy craze will slash the nation, and the developers will start feeling like really rolling up their sleeves for TES:5. They know how anxiously we're all awaiting it. :nerd:

2014, Tekumel. Be there, or be a schmoe.

[Kelly Tomlinson]

I only have a few simple requests for TES V:
Mike must make guest appearances.
Imperials are the boss.
Let me decide whether or not a character is important enough to kill with a club.

[Gisela Amaya]

Okay so I've read tons of you guys' posts most of which make plenty of sense.However it's become blended together. Someone please tell my why skyrim isn't the MMOG. After researching other websites I legitimately think that's what it's gonna be. (terrible news IMO) If you can make me believe it's I'll be much happier and +5 Internets for you.

Skyrim is trademarked by Bethesda games... Zenimax is dealing with the MMO project, so it's two different projects... And outside of the domain name for elderscrollsonline.com, there is really no other proof an MMO is currently in the works for TES

[Mr. Allen]

Okay so I've read tons of you guys' posts most of which make plenty of sense.However it's become blended together. Someone please tell my why skyrim isn't the MMOG. After researching other websites I legitimately think that's what it's gonna be. (terrible news IMO) If you can make me believe it's I'll be much happier and +5 Internets for you.

The Skyrim trademark was registered in 2006. Zenimax Online which is the studio working on an MMO was founded in 2007. So it is out of the question.