Whether you're of the view developers have the right to protect their trademarks, or that such tussles are in fact suffocating the industry, there's no denying that IP infringement claims are on the up.
The latest firm to state its case is UK/Australian developer Stick Sports, with the company which publishes Stick Cricket on the App Store as well as running the StickSports.com portal reportedly claiming that Stick Swimming, developed by Joseph Farrell, poses just such an infringement.
Indeed, more widely, it seems to be going after any game on the App Store with the word 'Stick' in the title.
Sticky caseAs detailed by Farrell himself on the iPhone Dev SDK forums, Apple has since asked the developer to provide evidence that his title "does not infringe Stick Sports Limited's rights, or that you are taking steps to promptly resolve the matter".
Furthermore, Pocket Gamer understands that Stick Golf by Jordan Schidlowsky, Turbo Chilli's Stick Skater, Stick Cliff Diver by Heiko Hufnagl, and Stick Sports: Summer Games by Robert Szeleney have all also been targeted.
In the case of the latter two, both games appear to have been recently removed from the UK App Store.
Although the reason behind their disappearance isn't yet clear, it's perhaps no coincidence that Stick Sports' parent company Advergames, which holds the trademark (UK number 2468968) for "Stick", is based in Britain.
Next steps
Either way, legal notices obtained by Touchaholics suggest lawyers acting on behalf of Stick Sports have also contacted developers it believes are infringing the firm's trademark, requesting the apps in question be removed from the App Store or rebranded as soon as practical.
We've contacted the lawyers in question, media law firm Sheridans of London, for further comment.
Recent similar attempts included Lima Sky's warnings to developers using the word 'Doodle'; action it since halted in the face of developer criticism and legal disagreement as it had a trademark for the title Doodle Jump, not the word 'Doodle'
[source: iPhone Dev SDK/Touchaholics]
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With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
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