pawsplay
Hero
While "Player's Handbook" might be a trademark, it would be hard to say a competing product was not simply describing itself, if it were a handbook for players. The trademark in question is under the category "publications, namely instructional booklets for the playing of role-play games" if I am understanding the output correctly.
Note that the Mongoose Pocket Player's Handbook predates 2006, when this mark was registered. No claim is made to the word "handbook" by itself.
Thus, if you published a roleplaying game and called one book ONLY "Player's Handbook" with no other words, WotC might be able to prosecute their case. Which they would probably lose. Simply because it's an identifiable mark and legally registerable does not mean it is automatically protected. In the end, it's two words.
For something like the Mongoose book, they would have to dry to argue the other book was "diluting" their trademark. Which would be hard to do, since two common English words is already pretty dang diluted.
Note that the Mongoose Pocket Player's Handbook predates 2006, when this mark was registered. No claim is made to the word "handbook" by itself.
Thus, if you published a roleplaying game and called one book ONLY "Player's Handbook" with no other words, WotC might be able to prosecute their case. Which they would probably lose. Simply because it's an identifiable mark and legally registerable does not mean it is automatically protected. In the end, it's two words.
For something like the Mongoose book, they would have to dry to argue the other book was "diluting" their trademark. Which would be hard to do, since two common English words is already pretty dang diluted.
