14 DAY TRIAL // Big video game companies often have a lot of secret projects under development, which they want to announce when the time is right or when they actually have something to show. One such company is Blizzard, the creator of famous franchises like StarCraft or Warcraft. It currently has in development a lot of unannounced projects, making the gaming media and the average players quite interested in its maneuvers in terms of trademarks and patents.
Recently, it seems that the company made a visit to the US Patents and Trademark Office, as the website of the agency shows that Blizzard made three applications, all concerning the word Cataclysm. Of course, it seems that privacy isn't an important matter, as websites are already filled with speculations over the three applications that were filed.
The first one refers to a way of delivering games via an online network, and many people have already begun to think that Cataclysm might be the true name of the new Battle.Net system. Here's what it says: “Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line computer games; providing computer games that may be accessed via a global computer network; and providing on-line information in the field of computer gaming entertainment.”
The next application concerns a way of offering computer games and instruction manuals for them in a single bundle, including other programs and peripherals. “Computer game software and related instruction manuals and guides sold together as a unit; downloadable computer game software; interactive multimedia computer game program; mousepads.”
And the last filing from Blizzard concerning Cataclysm reads about a lot of media content, from comic books to strategy guides, calendars and everything else in between, which might be branded by Blizzard for an extra profit. “Comic books, computer game strategy guides, trading cards, coloring books, adhesive stickers, rub-on transfers, notebooks, stationery-type portfolios, posters, greeting cards, calendars, instructional leaflets in the field of computer games, computer game instruction manuals, catalogs in the field of computer games, advertisement boards of paper or cardboard, photographs, art prints.”
One thing's for sure, though, we might get some concrete information in August, when the annual BlizzCon conference will be held, the only event dedicated to the company that has so many fans all around the world.