Stellarblade Sues Sony and Shift Up Over Trademark Infringement

Sony and developer Shift Up are facing a lawsuit from Louisiana-based film production company Stellarblade, alleging trademark infringement over the release of the PS5 action-adventure game Stellar Blade.

The Lawsuit

The complaint was filed in a Louisiana court earlier this month by Stellarblade LLC and its owner, Griffith Chambers Mehaffey. Mehaffey claims that Sony, Shift Up, and an unnamed liability insurance company are responsible for damaging his business by using the name Stellar Blade, which is confusingly similar to his own trademark.

The Allegations

• Mehaffey claims that his customers have been unable to find information about his business online since the game was re-revealed under the name Stellar Blade in 2021.
• He argues that the defendants’ superior resources have monopolized online search results for Stellarblade, pushing his business into digital obscurity.
• Mehaffey also claims that the defendants’ trademark is “confusingly similar” to his own, citing similar color schemes and a stylized ‘S’.

Mehaffey is seeking damages and attorney fees if his legal action is successful, and is requesting that Shift Up and Sony be prevented from using Stellar Blade or any other similar name in the future. He also wants all Stellar Blade material in their possession to be destroyed.

A Brief History of Stellarblade

Stellarblade was established in 2010 to provide multimedia entertainment services, including film, documentary, and music video production. Mehaffey has owned the domain stellarblade.com since 2006.

The Game

Stellar Blade is an action-adventure game developed by Shift Up and published by Sony. It was released earlier this year and received a four-star review from Eurogamer’s Jessica Orr, who praised its “moreish combat and bizarrely appealing lack of personality.”