Voidpoint, 3D Realms, and 1C Entertainment’s Ion Maiden has a new name: Ion Fury. The looming threat of a $2 million dollar lawsuit from Iron Maiden prompted the change. The lawsuit alleged that 3D Realms had committed trademark infringement due to the game’s name being so similar to that of the band’s and other issues, which could cause “confusion among consumers.” Ion Fury is now slated to release on August 15, 2019 for PCs, with the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch versions’ release dates to be announced at a later date.
Many of the issues have to do with brand confusion. The name Ion Maiden being similar to Iron Maiden was only one problem. Its heroine is Shelley Harrison, which the Iron Maiden holding company said is a blatant rip-off of the band’s founder, Steve Harris. Both the game and band use a steel cut font for their titles, as well as a skull-shaped mascot. In fact, the lawsuit said Ion Maiden‘s yellow, skull-shaped bomb in its title was “graphically similar to Iron Maiden’s Eddie character, who appears on all of Iron Maiden’s video games and virtually all of Iron Maiden’s compact disc covers, t-shirts, and other merchandise.” The lawsuit stated these elements could lead fans to believe that the two were somehow related.
In Ion Fury, players take control of Shelley “Bombshell” Harrison as she attempts to foil the evil plans of Dr. Jadus Heskel. It is a spiritual successor to Duke Nukem 3D, even using its Build engine. The game’s levels feature multiple different routes for players to take, which could offer replay value.
What do you think of Ion Fury‘s new name? Are you a fan of old school first person shooters like Duke Nukem 3D? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
[Source: PSU, Blabbermouth]
