Riot Games vs Valve Software

Not so long after Valve Software has filed a trademark for DotA, Riot Games has made a response.

Riot Games is the game production company that has created League of Legends, a game that resembles DotA. Valve Software, too, is developing another DotA game that many believe would be the most successful successor to the original DotA as Icefrog, the current DotA mapmaker is involved in the Valve's DotA project.

Valve has recently filed a trademark for "DotA". Three days after, on August 9th, Riot has counter-filed a trademark for "Defense of the Ancients", the unabbreviated name of DotA. According to Riot Games' Steve "Pendragon" Mescon, Riot has "filed for the 'Defense of the Ancients' trademark to protect the work that dozens of authors have done to create the game and on behalf of the millions of DotA players all over the world". Furthermore, Pendragon has stated in an interview with PC Gamers that DotA belongs to the original creators, Guinsoo and Eul, without mentioning Icefrog.

Riot Games' ultimate wish is to let DotA or Defense of the Ancients be contributed to the community. However, how would they explain their irony in filing a trademark for Defense of the Ancients themselves? Furthermore, who exactly has the right to decide the ownership of DotA? Who has more power over it? Hopefully, more of these questions may be answered in the future.

To read the full interview between Pendragon and PC Gamers, visit the source listed below.