Las Vegas officials go after Surreal, Midway over “Only in Vegas” phrase
The Casino City Times reports that Las Vegas tourism officials are currently considering blocking videogames developer Surreal Games from trademarking the phrase “Only in Vegas.”
According to the Times, the officials say it infringes on the trademarked phrase “Only Vegas,” which was registered by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Midway Games, Surreal’s corporate parent, declined to disclose any specific details on what title they are planning to use the phrase for. “I guess it all depends,” Midway spokesman Reilly Brennan said.
Brennan also added that Midway doesn’t always turn ideas into new games. “Sometimes they never actually become products.”
According to the agenda for the upcoming convention and visitors authority meeting, the protagonists in Surreal’s upcoming title are “attempting to stop a businessman from turning Las Vegas into a sanitized, family friendly destination.” Players must create their own powerful empire to stop his takeover, and the right choices will “give you control of Las Vegas and put the sin back in Sin City.”
This is the second time in less than a year that a videogame has caused displeasure among Las Vegas officials. Last year, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman blasted Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas, saying that the game might not even be entitled to protection by the First Amendment.
The Casino City Times reports that Las Vegas tourism officials are currently considering blocking videogames developer Surreal Games from trademarking the phrase “Only in Vegas.”
According to the Times, the officials say it infringes on the trademarked phrase “Only Vegas,” which was registered by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
Midway Games, Surreal’s corporate parent, declined to disclose any specific details on what title they are planning to use the phrase for. “I guess it all depends,” Midway spokesman Reilly Brennan said.
Brennan also added that Midway doesn’t always turn ideas into new games. “Sometimes they never actually become products.”
According to the agenda for the upcoming convention and visitors authority meeting, the protagonists in Surreal’s upcoming title are “attempting to stop a businessman from turning Las Vegas into a sanitized, family friendly destination.” Players must create their own powerful empire to stop his takeover, and the right choices will “give you control of Las Vegas and put the sin back in Sin City.”
This is the second time in less than a year that a videogame has caused displeasure among Las Vegas officials. Last year, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman blasted Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas, saying that the game might not even be entitled to protection by the First Amendment.
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