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Microsoft Renews Scalebound Trademark

Is Scalebound back in development? Probably not, sadly.

scalebound, canceled

Scalebound, a high-profile Xbox One exclusive that was canceled in January, might be getting a second life. According to trademark search website Trademarkia, Microsoft renewed its Scalebound trademark, which it first filed in November 2014, on May 3.

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A trademark filing is of course far from proof that Microsoft is actively doing anything with the property. The company could be holding onto the mark just in case it wants to revisit Scalebound at some future point, or it could even have done so just for the brand protection purpose of preventing someone else from creating a video game — or other product — bearing a name that resembles a product that was once a major part of Microsoft’s Xbox One strategy.

But that hasn’t stopped rumors of Scalebound’s rise from the ashes from proliferating. “Insider Report: Do you remember Scalebound? Development is resumed, led by and entrusted to an important ‘close’ MS team,” wrote one rumor monger on Twitter.

Windows Central, however, has refuted that story. According to the site, which is certainly more reputable than random Twitter rumors, its own sources have definitively stated that Scalebound development has not actually resumed.

Scalebound being handed to a different studio for a second chance at life so soon after being canceled would be more than a little surprising. When Microsoft axed the game back in January, Xbox boss-man Phil Spencer said the decision was better for gamers. Still, Spencer did also say that canceling Scalebound was painful for him and that he disliked the idea of not delivering announced games.

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About the author

Nick Santangelo

Nick has been a gamer since the 8-bit days and has been reporting on the games industry since 2011. Don't interrupt him while he's questing through an RPG or desperately clinging to hope against all reason that his Philly sports teams will win something.

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