With the co-op game It Takes Two, developer Hazelight has published an aspirant for one of the best games of the year. Unfortunately, the small studio now has juicy beef with major publisher Take-Two Interactive.
Take-Two Interactive is not exactly squeamish at the moment when it comes to filing complaints about name similarities with the US Patent Office. Quite a few companies that have similarities with brand names such as Rockstar, Mafia, Social Club or the like are in trouble. Like the clothing brand Max Fayne or even a Chinese company called Starrocks.
Now the indie studio Hazelight has also been hit, due to the similarity of the game title It Takes Two to the Take-Two Interactive brand. That could have unpleasant effects on the beautiful two-man co-op title and possibly lead to a renaming. Hazelight had already given up the relevant trademark rights in March due to Take-Two’s complaint, but it may well happen that Hazelight will no longer be allowed to use the name for the game in the future.
To give up the name of the game, which has been well established due to the success of the game, would be quite bitter and could result in a renaming, in the worst case a possible sequel would have to be published under a different title. What will come of the matter is currently still open. Hazelight does not comment on the ongoing dispute other than being confident they can resolve the matter. Take-Two has not yet commented on this.
It Takes Two is possibly the most creative, imaginative, and varied game I’ve ever played. It throws around brilliant ideas every second so that they would actually be enough for ten, no, twenty, no, thirty games.
