Marked by Madness: The Sigils of Ownership in Game Design
In the dead of night, something arrived. Not a whisper from the grave nor the clawing hand of the damned, but a thick, official envelope from the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Inside it lay the seal, the mark, the legal incantation that now binds our name to us alone: Dark One Games™ and our logo are officially trademarked.
This is more than parchment and process. This is protection. This is identity. In a world of creators, copycats, and chaotic markets, a trademark is your brand's warding sigil, a glowing rune that says, “This is mine. Tread not, lest you awaken the wrath of legal counsel.”
But herein lies the riddle that twists many minds: What’s a trademark? What’s a copyright? And how do they guard our eldritch creations?
Trademark: The Brand's Mark of Power
A trademark protects names, logos, slogans, and symbols that identify the source of a product or service. In the realm of board games, that means:
Your company name (like Dark One Games™)
Your game title (Cthulhu Rises!!™, for example)
Your logo or unique packaging style
It’s about identity and commercial recognition. When a gamer sees that mark on a box, they know what kind of experience awaits, in our case, something twisted, thematic, and crawling with atmosphere.
Trademarks don’t cover the rules or artwork. That’s where our next guardian steps in.
Copyright: The Creator’s Cloak
Copyright protects original works of authorship, written rules, artwork, storylines, card text, character bios, and lore. If you wrote or drew it, and it’s original, it’s covered once you set pen to paper or stylus to tablet.
In board games, this includes:
Rulebooks and card text
Game art, game box, and illustrations
Story, flavor text, and world lore
Player aids and written instructions
But here’s the caveat from the crypt: copyright does not protect game mechanics. How your dice bounce or your resource system hums can be “inspired” by another and still be legal. It’s unsettling, but true.
Protecting the Madness
Why does this matter?
Because we’ve seen the hungry ones. The knockoffs. The “we swear it’s different” clones. And while imitation may be flattery, theft is theft.
Registering a trademark is one of the few spells you can cast in this industry that offers real, enforceable power. Copyright gives your creative content a shield. Together, they form your grimoire of protection in the arcane world of publishing.
Final Thoughts from the Shadowed Desk
We at Dark One Games are thrilled to hold our trademark, not just as a business milestone but as a sign that our creations are stepping fully into the world, claws and all. If you're a fellow indie designer, I hope this answers some questions. Protect your name. Guard your creations. Know what belongs to you, and let the world know it too.
After all, in the margins of madness, even the slightest idea can become something monstrous.