Nintendo Forces Swedish Dental Surgery To Change Name

webyugioh

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Well, I was bored and browsing the usual sites and found this.
Figured it would be an interesting read for those bored this monday,
(or just don't feel like studying for finals any more)

QUOTE said:
Not a headline you'd expect to read first thing on a Monday, granted, but it's true: Nintendo's lawyers have made a small dental surgery in Malmö, Sweden, change its name.

Why?

wiivwiismile.jpg


The surgery is called "Wii Smile". And while one of the two partners running the joint, Christer Wihlborg, says the name came about because his surname starts with "Wi" and there are two owners, the fact is Nintendo registered their trademark over the name "Wii" in 2006, a full year before "Wii Smile" opened its doors.

Interestingly, Nintendo claim that they're taking the action not only because of the trademark and the similarities between the names, but because they claim the original 2006 trademark applied to not only home video game consoles, but dentistry as well.

Dentistry? We knew Nintendo's lawyers were bloodthirsty. We didn't know they were that thorough.

SOurce (in Swedish)
Source Kotaku
 

Maz7006

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wtf.gif
Why? Has Ninty been doing crack recently
smileipb2.png
? They look nothing alike, however there does seem to be a resemblance in idea. The ways Nintendo are seeking to make money, and power
dry.gif
 

Hop2089

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A prime example of lawsuit abuse something that's plaguing the US. Nintendo has zero dentistry offices anyway so taking the Wii Smile trademark would be a waste.
 

Pimpmynintendo

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They are probably taking it out on these people because of that shithead company that said Nintendo and Microsoft owed them money from some retarded patent they claimed to have had and claimed to be some company on their makeshift website. (I forgot exactly who they were)
 

Pizzaroo

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I wonder when this dentistry was created. I mean if it was founded in 2005 or before Nintendo would win the award for douchebag company of the year.
 

Spikey

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You guys seem to be defending this dentistry, but tbh, unless this place was trying to cash in on Nintendo's Wii's success, I see 0 reason why this place choose to name their place Wii Smile instead of We Smile.

"Nintendo registered their trademark over the name "Wii" in 2006, a full year before "Wii Smile" opened its doors."

That means this place was opened in 2007, which would be well after the success that is the Nintendo Wii. They were obviously asking for it.
 

Heran Bago

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wiivwiismile.jpg


Do you see the little TM after "Wii"? See how it is not in the second image?

Nintendo is just defending the rights to their legal intellectual property. If they wanted to they could actually sue over unlawful use of their registered trademark.


The dentistry is obviously trying to cash in on the success of another business. Trademark doesn't only apply to your specified field or country of origin. I don't like Nintendo's business practices either but what Wii Smile was doing is simply not legal.
 

Beware

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What the fuck are you people talking about with Nintendo's bad business practices? When was the last time Nintendo ACTUALLY did anything like this? 99.9% of those projects that claim to have been "shut down by Nintendo" had nothing of the sort happen to them. It was either an error in communication (as in the SSBB texture hack where the server was worried about legal action when, in fact, nothing came of it) or a cover up so the lazy, twat devs could cover their asses and try to make Nintendo look like the bad guy. Or just some jackass who can't handle being told his game isn't good enough to be licensed by Nintendo and wants people to take their anger on Nintendo (read: Bob's Game).

This is blatant trademark infringement and Nintendo handled it the way any intelligent business would when people are taking advantage of their IP. Did they put the office out of business??? Did they sue them for everything they were worth??? No, they just made them change their name. Based on the information, it doesn't even appear to have been a lawsuit in the slightest, just threats of a lawsuit if the trademark infringement continued. Their story for as to why they are called "Wii Smile" is such bullshit anyways.
 

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