A law firm has challenged Sony’s attempt to trademark the term “Let’s Play,” and things aren’t looking good for Sony.

In a move that baffled everyone in the industry, Sony filing was revealed earlier this month. Anyone who plays games these days knows how common a “Let’s Play” is and how broadly it has come to be used as a description of videos that show playing games online.

The McArthur Law Firm filed an objection to Sony’s claim, and now the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a statement saying Let’s Play is a term that’s “merely descriptive” as it applies to video games. That statement basically shuts down Sony’s claim. However, the application is still open and Sony has until June to submit more specific justification for their trademark.


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Nicole has been playing games her entire life. Now that she's a mom, she's passionate about promoting games as a healthy pastime to other parents around the globe. She has been an editor at IGN, where she launched and hosted the Girlfight podcast. In her spare time (which is not very much, honestly) she enjoys gaming, reading, and writing fiction. Most of the time she’s a mom to a crazy, intelligent, and exhausting little girl.