The matchmaking app for friends with benefits says goodbye to the "With Friends" addendum of its moniker after being sued by Zynga for trademark violation. September 30, 2013 7:45 PM PDT (Credit: Bang with Friends) Bang with Friends has been no stranger to controversy in its short life span. But, it appears the hookup app could now be on the straight and narrow. Not only has Bang with Friends ironed out a spat it had with Apple over its salacious name, the app has also settled a lawsuit with Zynga over alleged trademark infringement. Here is a joint statement that Zynga and Bang with Friends sent to CNET: Zynga Inc. and Bang With Friends, Inc. are pleased that they have reached an amicable resolution of their dispute. Although the terms of the settlement are confidential, Bang With Friends, Inc. acknowledges the trademark rights that Zynga has in its WITH FRIENDS marks and will be changing its corporate name and rebranding its services in the near future. Details on the next version of Bang With Friends can be found at www.TheNextBang.com. More details on the terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Zynga initially filed the lawsuit against Bang with Friends in July claiming that the app infringed on its "with friends" franchise. "Defendant's 'Bang With Friends' app caught a free ride on the coattails of Zynga's famed WITH FRIENDS family of marks and gained notoriety while simultaneously causing consumer confusion and falsely associating the 'Bang With Friends' app with Zynga," the game maker's complaint read. Related stories Zynga settles lawsuit over 'wholesale theft' of data Zynga COO David Ko said to be resigning in exec shake-up Zynga quietly shutters OMGPOP games Zynga sues 'Bang with Friends' sex app for trademark violation Zynga reportedly lost three top execs this month Zynga was referring to its social games that include Words with Friends, Crumble with Friends, Hanging with Friends, Chess with Friends, and more. Bang with Friends is an iPhone and Android app that helps Facebook users find friends who are "down to bang." The Facebook-connected app first arrived on the Web in January and by May said it had about 1 million one-night-stand seekers. The app's founders have said that they made the app in one night with the help of "a lot of Red Bull and Vodka." Besides being slapped with the lawsuit by Zynga, Bang with Friends was also yanked from Apple's App Store in May reportedly because of its brazen approach to hookups. After months of being unavailable, the iOS version of the app finally switched its name to the more family-friendly "Down." For its part, Google Play let Bang with Friends keep its name.
The matchmaking app for friends with benefits says goodbye to the "With Friends" addendum of its moniker after being sued by Zynga for trademark violation.
(Credit: Bang with Friends)
Bang with Friends has been no stranger to controversy in its short life span. But, it appears the hookup app could now be on the straight and narrow.
Not only has Bang with Friends ironed out a spat it had with Apple over its salacious name, the app has also settled a lawsuit with Zynga over alleged trademark infringement.
Here is a joint statement that Zynga and Bang with Friends sent to CNET:
Zynga Inc. and Bang With Friends, Inc. are pleased that they have reached an amicable resolution of their dispute. Although the terms of the settlement are confidential, Bang With Friends, Inc. acknowledges the trademark rights that Zynga has in its WITH FRIENDS marks and will be changing its corporate name and rebranding its services in the near future. Details on the next version of Bang With Friends can be found at www.TheNextBang.com.
More details on the terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Zynga initially filed the lawsuit against Bang with Friends in July claiming that the app infringed on its "with friends" franchise.
"Defendant's 'Bang With Friends' app caught a free ride on the coattails of Zynga's famed WITH FRIENDS family of marks and gained notoriety while simultaneously causing consumer confusion and falsely associating the 'Bang With Friends' app with Zynga," the game maker's complaint read.
Related stories
- Zynga settles lawsuit over 'wholesale theft' of data
- Zynga COO David Ko said to be resigning in exec shake-up
- Zynga quietly shutters OMGPOP games
- Zynga sues 'Bang with Friends' sex app for trademark violation
- Zynga reportedly lost three top execs this month
Zynga was referring to its social games that include Words with Friends, Crumble with Friends, Hanging with Friends, Chess with Friends, and more.
Bang with Friends is an iPhone and Android app that helps Facebook users find friends who are "down to bang." The Facebook-connected app first arrived on the Web in January and by May said it had about 1 million one-night-stand seekers. The app's founders have said that they made the app in one night with the help of "a lot of Red Bull and Vodka."
Besides being slapped with the lawsuit by Zynga, Bang with Friends was also yanked from Apple's App Store in May reportedly because of its brazen approach to hookups. After months of being unavailable, the iOS version of the app finally switched its name to the more family-friendly "Down." For its part, Google Play let Bang with Friends keep its name.
