I’ve noticed that a bunch of websites are referencing an article in the Edge magazine #287 with the revelation that Yoko Taro originally wanted to call the new game “Android” but couldn’t due to copyrights with Google’s own Android trademark.
However, this is not new information.
This was previously published by Famitsu several weeks ago.
Edge Magazine
The following is an excerpt from the interview published in Weekly Famitsu, No.1404 on November 5, 2015.
—At this year’s Paris Games Week, you announced the new title “NieR: Automata” but, did you come upon this title very easily?
Saito: No, it was hardly an easy task. Yoko-san was the first to propose the title “Android” but we had a problem with trademarks with that.
Yoko: There’s no possible way to fight Google with something like this. Just before the E3 2015 announcement we got together to try and think what we should do about the title, but inevitably couldn’t come to a decision, so we had to go with the tentative title “NieR New Project”.
Saito: Since we said more information would be available in Autumn, we felt like we could come to a decision on the title by then. Out of more than 20 possible titles, we finally decided on “Automata”. That was in September.
—So you came to that title pretty quickly!
Saito: That’s right.
More was discussed with Dengeki regarding the name choice. This is a brief excerpt from the interview published in Dengeki Playstation magazine, Vol.601, which was released on the same day as the Famitsu article: November 5, 2015.
—Can you tell us any further details about the title “NieR: Automata”?
Saito: Since many androids will appear in this story, we originally thought about calling it “Androids”; however, this was difficult due to conflicting trademarks, so we wanted to get as many ideas about it as possible. That’s when Yoko stumbled upon the name “Automata,” feeling that it would best express the feeling of the story. This also had an issue with trademarks, but if we called it “NieR: Automata”, then there was no problem.
About “Android” vs. “Androids”
It might be interesting to point out that there is no plural form of the word “android” in Japanese without specific “counter” modifiers. Whether Yoko Taro originally wanted to call it “android” or “androids” is unclear, but given the great number of androids that appear in the YoRHa play to begin with and from past statements that we will see more androids in the game, I believe he had the plural form of the word in mind.
About Trademarks
As it’s stated on Google’s Trademark List, the Android is clearly named a “platform”. I am hardly a trademark lawyer, but if they really wanted to name the game “Android”, it doesn’t seem like it would have been all that difficult to do so, especially if they added “NieR” to the beginning of the title.
Also, taking a look at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), there are many other similar trademarks listed with the name, three of which are specifically trademarks of Google within Japan:
Android, Google Inc.
Android, Android Industries Ltd. LLC
Android, Deeplex
Android, Google Inc.
Android, OKO IC
Android, Google Inc.
According to the WIPO, the Naosaka Automata Museum in Shizuoka Prefecture applied for the “Automata” trademark in 2000 when the museum opened. The website for the museum states this in English:
“Automata” – these are mechanized works of art that were produced by the finest watchmakers of Europe, who were also renowned as scientists, in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Nosaka Automata Museum is unique worldwide for it’s collection of exceptional automata. It opened in the spring of 2000 on Sakuranamiki Street in Japan’s famous resort town of Izu-Kogen.
The English trademark for “NieR: Automata” is currently under examination.