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After Being Sued By ‘Iron Maiden’, 3D Realms Changes the Name of its Shooter ‘Ion Maiden’
Nothing rock ‘n’ roll about forcing a sick-ass throwback shooter to change its name.
Iron Maiden did it anyway. In May of this year, the British heavy metal band sued 3D Realms, developers of the similarly named Ion Maiden, for $2 million for trademark infringement, despite the fact that no human person could ever confuse a very cool-looking Duke Nukem successor and a bunch of old white dudes.
“Defendant’s misappropriation and use of a virtually identical imitation of the Iron Maiden trademark creates a likelihood of confusion among consumers,” the lawsuit claimed, anyway. “Customers who view Defendant’s video game and merchandise are likely to believe that Iron Maiden is somehow affiliated with Defendant.”
The game has been renamed Ion Fury, and will release on PC on August 15, digitally and with a “Big Box” physical edition.
3D Realms released a new trailer today showing off the game’s 90s-inspired first-person shooting and announcing the name change. While a spiritual successor to the studio’s own Duke Nukem franchise, Ion Fury appears to be splitting the difference between Doom-style frantic shooting and Deus Ex-esque physics. The trailer’s even got a fully playable piano.
My suggestion, given my extensive knowledge of copyright law, is that 3D Realms could have avoided litigation by simply calling the game “Dumb Iron Maiden.” Though, ask yourself, who is truly the dumb Iron Maiden in this situation?
Are you watching? Ishana Night Shyamalan has clearly been paying attention to her father, M. Night Shyamalan. Not only is she following in his footsteps as a filmmaker, but she’s also embracing a similar mystique surrounding her work.
The new trailer for her feature directorial debut, The Watchers, gives viewers a taste of what’s in store. AreYouWatching.com has launched with even more clues.
Visit the site to join the mysterious creatures that lurk in the Irish forest as you observe a shelter. From the time the sun sets at 7:30 PM until it rises at 5:55 AM, four strangers — played by Dakota Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Oliver Finnegan, and Olwen Fouere — can be seen trapped inside.
You’ll find several interactive items. Click on the gramophone to set the mood with some spooky music. Tap on the birdcage to hear an ominous message from the parrot inside: “I’m going out, try not to die.” Press on the TV to watch clips from a fake reality show called Lair of Love. And if you tap on the window during the daytime … they’ll tap back.
There are also Easter eggs hidden at specific times. We’ve discovered three: a disorienting shot of Fanning’s character’s car at 5:52 PM, a closer view of the captives at 11:11 PM, and a glimpse of monitors at 12:46 AM. Let us know if you find any more in the comments…
The Watchers opens in theaters on June 14 via New Line Cinema. Ishana Night Shyamalan writes and directs, based on the 2022 novel of the same name by A.M. Shine. M. Night Shyamalan produces.
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