Monster Energy has been making waves in the gaming industry recently, as it has been attempting to take legal action against other brands and products that use the word ‘monster’ in their name. This has been going on for some time, with the most famous instance being Ubisoft’s Immortals Fenyx Rising, which was forced to change its original name, Gods and Monsters. Other targets have included indie game Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals and even Pokémon (aka Pocket Monsters).
Recently, Monster Energy has gone after Monster Hunter, the hugely popular gaming franchise, which includes Monster Hunter World and Monster Hunter Rise. The company has been trying to protect its customers from confusion by preventing other brands from using the word ‘monster’ in their name. However, the Japan Patent Office has denied Monster’s complaints, stating that “there is no risk of causing confusion as to the origin of the product”.
This means that Monster Hunter won’t have to change its name, which would have been a huge undertaking considering its immense success. Monster Energy’s attempt to protect its customers from confusion is understandable, but it’s clear that the Japan Patent Office was right to deny the company’s complaint.
It’s important for companies to protect their customers from confusion, and Monster Energy’s attempts to do so are understandable. However, the Japan Patent Office was right to deny Monster’s complaint against Monster Hunter, as there is no risk of confusing the two brands. While it’s unfortunate that other brands have been forced to change their names due to Monster Energy’s legal action, it’s clear that Monster Hunter will remain as it is.