Last year, Bethesda filed a trademark for the name “Redfall,” prompting widespread speculation that this would be the subtitle of The Elder Scrolls 6. Bethesda hasn’t officially confirmed what the name is for yet. However, it has now emerged that the company is facing a trademark dispute from BookBreeze.com; a publishing company which publishes a novel series by the same name.
The Elder Scrolls 6 “Redfall” Trademark and BookBreeze.com’s Dispute
As reported by GamesRadar, Bethesda is facing a legal challenge from BookBreeze.com, specifically over their trademarking of the name “Redfall.” BookBreeze.com publishes a series of post-apocalyptic novels by author Jay Falconer, which also use the Redfall name. Unfortunately, this case may not be resolved quickly. Trial dates available via the US Trademark and Patent Office show that deadlines for the various stages of the case could extend as far as August of 2020. Bethesda has yet to make any public statement regarding the case, or how it may affect their plans for The Elder Scrolls 6.
It’s unlikely that The Elder Scrolls 6 will be ready for release by late 2020. Bethesda is due to release Starfield first; a game which is expected to be a long way from release itself. Elder Scrolls 6 will follow next, but is most likely still two years away from release at the earliest. As such, it’s fairly unlikely that this court case would disrupt the game’s actual release. However, what it could affect is pre-release marketing.
If Redfall is really the planned name of The Elder Scrolls 6, then Bethesda will almost certainly be unable to use the name in marketing or promotional releases prior to the resolution of the case. Again, considering that the game is probably a long way from launch, this may not be an issue. However, if Bethesda plans to start pre-release marketing before 2021 then they may have to either change the name, or market the game simply as “The Elder Scrolls 6”; without a subtitle. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that fans will get any significant news from this case for a long time yet.