Bungie has abandoned one of its Marathon trademarks “after inter-partes decision,” following a legal opposition from Traxxas.
Back in May 2023, Bungie filed a trademark application for “Traxus,” a fictional corporation tied to its original (and upcoming) Marathon games. The name isn’t new for longtime fans; Traxus has shown up before in Bungie’s sci-fi universe, including in Halo lore. But as Bungie moved to lock down official trademarks for various in-game factions, it ran into a roadblock.
In October 2024, RC car manufacturer Traxxas filed a formal opposition with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It claimed that Bungie’s “Traxus” name was too close to its own long-standing “Traxxas” brand, and that it could confuse customers, especially since both marks covered things clothing.
Since we last reported on this case, there’s been a major update, and it looks like the matter is officially closed.
Bungie Dropped Traxus Trademark After Months of Delays and Settlement Talks
Following the opposition, Bungie and Traxxas went back and forth on the timeline. Between November 2024 and June 2025, both parties filed five different consent motions to extend the deadlines. Each time, they cited the same reason: “Parties are engaged in settlement discussions.”
Fast forwarding to earlier this month, on July 14, 2025, Bungie filed an official express abandonment (document seen by The Game Post) of the trademark application. The filing was signed by both Bungie and Traxxas’ legal representatives, and reads:
“Applicant, Bungie Inc., expressly abandons Application Serial No. 98011574 [the Traxus trademark]. This abandonment is with the written consent of Opposer, Traxxas, L.P., as evidenced by the signature of Opposer’s attorney below. The parties respectfully request dismissal of the opposition without prejudice.”
The very next day, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board confirmed the case was closed. The “Traxus” trademark application was abandoned, and the opposition was dismissed without prejudice.
This wasn’t Bungie’s only Marathon-related trademark. The studio also filed for UESC, MIDA, Sekiguchi Genetics, and CYAC, all names tied to in-game lore or factions. Interestingly, some of those filings were also abandoned back in March 2025, though without any public dispute attached to them.
As for the game itself, Marathon has been officially delayed, and there’s currently no new release date. Bungie says development is still underway and that the studio is running regular playtests under NDA.
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