The Verge is reporting that Epic is suing Nreal. If you are wondering who Nreal is, they make smart glasses. And Epic makes Unreal Engine. A popular engine used to make games. So what is the reason for Epic suing Nreal? Epic is suing because according to the company it is “no coincidence” that Nreal’s name “looks and sounds virtually identical to Unreal’s branding.
Now, Nreal has not launched in the US yet. But the company’s product is available in Korea. So it must be a blow to them to be getting sued by Epic. This seems like it could definitely hurt Nreal’s trademark application. Epic looks like they may be seeking to recoup damages.
Epic continues to flesh out their argument against Nreal. The company says that “Nreal” sounds a lot like “Unreal” and that both companies are competing in the same space. Nreal again is a smart glasses maker.
However, the only real gaming experience Nreal has is a demo game called Nreal Tower. Other than that the company has a headset called the Nreal Light which projects 3D objects. The company has plans of entering the US market in the second quarter of this year. However, this lawsuit could pose problems for the company.
Epic is suing Nreal because it sounds too much like Unreal
What’s funny is that Epic considers Nreal as a competitor in the same space. Epic’s Unreal Engine is a gaming engine that developers use to make their games. In addition, films use the engine as well. The company does have interests in augmented reality but has not produced anything yet. So, to say Nreal is a competitor in the same space is a stretch.
Furthermore, the lawsuit says that: “Epic expects Unreal Engine to feature prominently in the creation of a virtual metaverse, a real-time three-dimensional social platform where friends meet to interact and have enjoyable experiences.”
Because Nreal uses the Unreal Engine for its products, Epic says there is potential for cross-over. It is a possibility that customers could get confused. But, it seems highly unlikely.
The customers who would be in the market for the Unreal Engine would know that Nreal is a completely different product. However, Epic wants to convince otherwise.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time the two companies have bumped heads with each other. In 2018 Epic tried to block Nreal’s trademark. The two companies even discussed a settlement. However, nothing came from the discussions.
Overall, the whole thing seems kind of bizarre. Epic is already in a legal battle with Apple. It seems like the company would want to focus solely on that. But, it seems like the company thinks this battle is worth it. It looks like the battle of Unreal vs Nreal could be Epic.