EA files counter-claim against "fraudulent" Tim Langdell

Electronic Arts has accused Edge Games' notoriously litigious boss Tim Langdell of "fraudulent misrepresentations", as it battles against his claim that EA title Mirror's Edge infringes his trademark of the word 'edge.'

The publisher has filed a counter-suit against Langdell, claiming his failure to release any games involving the contested trademark for some years constitutes deception of the US patent office.

EA is demanding that Langdell's trademarks are wiped out – something that a number of smaller developers who have suffered the former IGDA board member's threatened legal wrath would no doubt welcome.

"Through a series of fraudulent misrepresentations to the United States Patent and Trademark Office ('USPTO'), Langdell has obtained federal registrations for a purported 'family' of EDGE marks," reads EA's court filing, obtained by IndustryGamers.

"Neither Langdell nor his alter ego companies have made any legitimate and good faith use of those marks in commerce, but they have instead used the marks to assert baseless claims against third parties and to extract undeserved settlements, consisting of invalid naked licenses and assignments in gross which Langdell has used to maintain his fraudulently obtained registrations.

"Through this counterclaim, Counterclaimants seek cancellation of the invalid registrations maintained by Langdell's alter egos and a declaration that his companies have no common law rights in the purported marks that are the subject of those registrations."

The suit also claims that Langdell "intended to deceive the USPTO," and that his actions have harmed both it and other companies. EA is additionally seeking to have its legal fees and further compensation paid.