Following on from UK/Australian company Stick Sports attempt to get sports games using the word Stick in their titles to rename or remove themselves from the Apple App Store, it seems some of the developers involved are fighting back.

One such is Traction Games, the Australian-based developer of Stick Skater.

"In response to your questions, yes we have had this matter brought to our attention by Stick Sports Limited

and yes we have engaged legal representation, and have also notified Sheridans [Stick Sports' lawyers] of such actions," explains Traction Games' director Ben Hazzard.

Drawing the lines of argument

"While I cannot comment specifically on Traction Games' position at this time for legal reasons, my personal opinion is that the claims of Stick Skater 'passing off' on their [Stick Sports'] generated good will is unfounded," Hazzard continues.

"Stick Skater has had in excess of five million App Store downloads in the last 12 months, the majority of which have been from gamers in the USA, a country where skateboarding is without question more popular than the sport of cricket," he adds.

"We would also like to take this opportunity to thank the numerous Stick Skater fans for their continuing support."

As detailed in Sheridan's argument about the case, Stick Sports - which released Stick Cricket on the App Store in December 2010 - has a UK trademark over the term Stick as used in the title of sports games and is combining this with the legal definition of 'passing off' to suggest that other Stick sports games on the App Store are trading on the good will Stick Sports has built up.