back to article You're doing WHAT with friends? Zynga sues Bang With Friends maker

Social games designer Zynga is suing the makers of casual sex app Bang With Friends for trademark infringement. Zynga - which says it owns the '...With Friends' brand - is no stranger to the courts, having been sued a number of times by competitors who alleged it copied the design of their games. But seeing as one of the …

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  1. Captain Scarlet Silver badge

    Odd

    Although I am aware Zynga is in a death spiral so will look to sue to get money I can't understand how "with friends" can be trademarked?

    Oh well at least the other company gets more coverage of its wares (Other Dodgey meet people apps also available)

    1. ThomH

      Re: Odd

      I guess in England & Wales they could try to argue passing off — that the second company is trying to acquire goodwill by naming their product similarly to the first company's, and in so doing is damaging the first company's standing. But it requires a proper misrepresentation whereby Bang With Friends would actually be meant to be perceived as a Zynga product rather that just having a bit of fun with the name so, yeah, it feels unlikely.

    2. N13L5
      FAIL

      Re: Odd

      I think that's an invalid trademark...

      Both words are common dictionary words and are also commonly used together in all sorts of contexts.

      Some lawyers are retarded, and so are some of the trademark office staff to let that slip through...

  2. Why Not?

    I would be so tempted to

    Create another app called 'Z**** go bang yourself without Friends' and encourage them to sue.

  3. Crisp
    Pint

    Zynga - which says it owns the '...With Friends' brand

    Bugger! I was going to go to the pub with friends tonight.

    :(

    1. James O'Brien
      Facepalm

      Re: Zynga - which says it owns the '...With Friends' brand

      How about we both go as friends and you pay? Oh wait isn't that what Zynga is basically asking people to do? I honestly cant see how they have much of a leg to stand on (trademark aside because this sort of reminds me of the Apple I**** BS) unless they have or are working on an app the bang on.

  4. Michael Strorm Silver badge

    So the Skinner box maker that's notorious for ripping off other companies' games- to the point of near carbon-copying- is getting pissy about its *own* supposed intellectual property?

  5. LinkOfHyrule
    Joke

    I'm going out with friends tonight...

    ...just got the news that I'm getting my arse sued off for it too!

    *b-boom tish*

    1. wowfood
      Joke

      Re: I'm going out with friends tonight...

      Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be in the court room with friends.

      1. LinkOfHyrule
        Happy

        Re: I'm going out with friends tonight...

        well at least its civil and not criminal or id be "banged up with friends" - then I'd be in trouble as then both those companies would have grounds to sue!

        I can be quite defensive though so I don't take kindly to anyone "f!!!!king with friends" of mine so they'd be in for a fight!

    2. Euripides Pants

      Re: I'm going out with friends tonight...

      Sometimes I...

      ...Laugh at Zynga With Friends

  6. g e
    Meh

    Avoid Zynga With Friends

    Sounds a good approach.

  7. David Webb

    Meh Prior Art from 2007 "Cooking Mama 2: Dinner... with friends" though there is probably prior art before that, though with the people I have on my Facebook there really is only 1 person I'd actually want to bang and she already turned me down, well, technically her boyfriend had me turned me down but let's not quibble over the small print.

    Time to go make an FB App, banging with total strangers who don't charge you money, I'm so going to be rich.

    1. teebie

      That...sounds personal

    2. wowfood

      Really? I was gonna make Bang with Buddies. Then just go on to clone all of the "With Friends" apps, except put Buddies there instead.

    3. MrDamage Silver badge

      Her bf turned you down?

      What were you planning to do? Use him as a contraceptive?

  8. Tom 38

    They own ... with Friends

    The reason they think they own it is because they wanted to rip off scrabble, and came up with "word with friends". Good to see the pirates being boarded.

  9. This post has been deleted by its author

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Until they sued them...

      What I don't understand is the motive. Most of your friends know whether you are a drunken tart or an uptight virgin.

      Now an app for 'Bang with complete strangers' sounds much more fun.

      1. The Indomitable Gall

        Re: Until they sued them...

        "What I don't understand is the motive. Most of your friends know whether you are a drunken tart or an uptight virgin."

        But still, propositioning a friend can be very awkward and potentially embarassing. With the app, if the attention's not wanted, they'll never know you want to get them in bed. THAT's the motivation.

        1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge
          Devil

          Re: Until they sued them...

          Either that, or the app makers motivation is to build the perfect list of people who want to get all goey with their friends (who don't agree), then release a new app called Blackmail With Friends, where you have to pay them not to reveal all.

          Hmmmm. This gives me an idea - how do I sign up to write Facebook apps?

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Until they sued them...

          Sounds bluddy risky to me. Wife persuades wife's attractive sister to turn it on 'cos of all the blokes the sister works with - and the first person that pops up is me? Not something I'd be having anything to do with, I can tell you. Far too risky!

      2. Tom 13

        Re: What I don't understand is the motive.

        Think of it as being the same as FB, only more honest about what they are after and using the same casual definition of "friend".

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Complete stranger

        I'm up for that. Where do I get the App?

      4. Ian 55

        Bang with complete strangers

        Grindr.

  10. Phil W
    Joke

    Trademarking/Copyrighting "...with friends"

    is the attempt of person/organisation with a lack of both social skills and legal knowledge to force people to be friends with them, surely?

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    At the rate Zynga is losing friends....

    ...wouldn't it make more sense for them to hijack the term "without friends"....?

  12. Atonnis

    Oh dear...

    Well, I guess Zynga can just fuck right off.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Am I still allowed to have coffee 'with friends'?

    Or is that banned too? How stupid.

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