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Earlier today, IGN and its parent company were issued a cease and desist order from Harmony Gold, the co-copyright owner of the television series Robotech. The letter claims that the use of certain trademarked figures from the Robotech/Macross universe are prohibited as a result of a prior settlement that dates back to 1996. While MechWarrior isn't part of the Robotech/Macross universe, the similarities between vehicles has been enough to cause legal issues and raise questions. Apparently, some of those trademarked figures appear in the trailer used by Pirahna Games in its announcement of the MechWarrior reboot earlier this year, and a request has been made for that trailer to be pulled from IGN.

This development could put the future of MechWarrior in jeopardy. A trademark dispute could derail the game's development. On the flip side, it could also simply result in specific characters, logos, or other trademarked material from being included in the final product.

IGN contacted Smith and Tinker, the company that currently holds the license to the MechWarrior franchise for word on this situation. A spokesman for the company responded to our inquiry, stating, "We have no comment on the situation at this time." Smith and Tinker, along with Piranha Games, announced the reboot of the Mechwarrior franchise exclusively with IGN in July.

Original story found here.

Original Story found here.

In the past few days, teaser trailers have appeared online that have gotten fans excited about the possible announcement of a new MechWarrior game. Well, we can confirm that the title is in development. Forget what you've played before; say hello to MechWarrior. That's its full title, there's no 5 or V after its name; this is a complete reboot for the famous franchise. To learn more, we have an exclusive interview with Smith and Tinker co-founder Jordan Weisman and Russ Bullock, president of Piranha Games. Weisman was also the co-founder of FASA and a co-creator of the BattleTech universe that MechWarrior is based upon.

If you're looking for a quick summary of the interview, check out our revealing news story. Below, you'll find information about the new storyline, the planned multiplayer and co-op features, and even details about the console transition for the game. You'll also be able to check out the first full trailer of MechWarrior, as well as our Rewind Theater analysis of that video. Finally, make sure you leave your comments – both Weisman and Bullock are interested in finding out what fans think about the new direction that they want to take the acclaimed MechWarrior franchise.