Watch Dogs trademark abandonment was fraudulent
Fraudster posed as CEO Yves Guillemot in USPTO filing
Ubisoft has publicly stated that recent attempts to abandon the Watch Dogs trademark via a United States Patent and Trademark Office were fraudulent and the episode has no effect on Watch Dogs development.
The request to abandon the Watch Dogs trademark was made on Saturday by someone purporting to be Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.
"On February 1, 2014, Ubisoft Entertainment received an email from TEAS@uspto.gov notifying Ubisoft Entertainment that a Request for Express Abandonment had been filed in connection with Application Serial No. 85642398. The Request for Express Abandonment purports to be signed by the Chief Executive Officer of Ubisoft Entertainment, Yves Guillemot," says the most recent USPTO filing.
"Mr. Guillemot, however, did not sign the Request for Express Abandonment, nor did Ubisoft Entertainment file the Request for Express Abandonment. The Request for Express Abandonment is fraudulent and was not filed by Ubisoft Entertainment or its representative."
Ubisoft also gave a statement to Polygon, which confirmed the fraudulent activity and the current status of Watch Dogs.
"We are working directly with the USPTO on reinstating the trademark for Watch Dogs and it will be active again in the coming days. The matter has no impact on the Watch Dogs' development."