WWE abandons its 'Vice City' trademark application
The USPTO has formally closed WWE's application for the name 'Vice City'. The filing gives no reason, and Rockstar and Take-Two are not mentioned in it.
WWE has abandoned its attempt to trademark the name "Vice City". The US Patent and Trademark Office issued an official Notice of Abandonment yesterday, September 21, closing application Serial No. 50031923, according to GTAVice.net and IGN.
The application came from World Wrestling Entertainment, LLC and covered the words "VICE CITY" in standard characters. That means the claim was on the name itself, not on a logo, font or design. It was filed under Class 41, which covers wrestling performances, broadcasts, wrestling news, online content, fan club services and other entertainment, on an intent-to-use basis.
The sources disagree on the start date. GTAVice.net and iGrandTheftAuto date the filing to August 4, while IGN gives August 8. Either way, it did not last long. On September 2, WWE asked the USPTO to expressly abandon the mark, and yesterday's notice confirms that no further action will be taken on it.
The name appears to be tied to Lola Vice, a WWE wrestler with strong Miami ties who has used "Vice City" in her branding. IGN notes that she was recently promoted to the main roster, and GTAVice.net places the filing shortly before that move.
What the documents do not contain is a reason. The filing does not explain why WWE dropped the application, and Rockstar, Take-Two and GTA are not mentioned anywhere in it. IGN speculates that Rockstar would not have taken kindly to someone else claiming a name it has used for more than two decades. That is the outlet's reading, not something on the record.
Rockstar's history with the name is long. Vice City first appeared in the original GTA in 1997, returned in GTA: Vice City in 2002 and later in Vice City Stories, and is the main city of GTA VI.
One more recent detail fits the picture, at least on the calendar. As GTAVice.net reported on September 20, "Vice City" now appears in the trademark information on GTA VI's Xbox and PlayStation Store listings. The site points out that this was a store listing update, not a trademark filing by Take-Two, so it should not be read as a formal response to WWE.
