More ?Skyrim? DLC Already? Why Zenimax?s Recent Trademark Could Mean New Content

By Lisa Eadicicco | May 21 2012 4:38 PM

Skyrim fans have been anticipating an upcoming downloadable content expansion since the game was released in November 2011. Bethesda recently announced that it will be called Dawnguard, but a new patent just filed has fans questioning what else is in store for their favorite open-roam RPG.

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"Skyrim" fans have been anticipating an upcoming downloadable content expansion since the game was released in November 2011. Bethesda recently announced that it will be called "Dawnguard," but a new patent just filed has fans wondering what these means for their favorite open-roam RPG.

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Bethesda's parent company Zenimax filed a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for Dragonborn, leading some to believe that a second DLC pack is already in the works. The goods and services within the filing cover reads, Computer software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices, according to Fusible. Zenimax submitted the application on May 15th, Fusible reported.

This term is a key phrase in the Skyrim lore, referring to a person with the ability to speak the language of dragons. Those with this characteristic can unleash attacks with monstrous power during battle. With the company recently claiming ownership over the most recognizable dragon shout Fus Ro Dah, fans can expect to see this playing a bigger role in things to come. After the term Fus Ro Dah was trademarked, the Skyrim for Kinect was unveiled, which relies heavily on voice command and gesture-based gameplay.

The DLC that has already been confirmed by Bethesda, Dawnguard, was exposed before its official announcement through a patent filing. In late March Zenimax trademarked the term Dawnguard, but didn't specify any details about a DLC until late April. The trademark contained the same description as the one filed recently for Dragonborn. This could mean that Bethesda is already planning its next expansion for Skyrim, but until the official announcement comes this is just speculation. Little is known about the Dawnguard downloadable expansion, but the artwork shows a Viking-esque character with glowing red eyes, equipped with arrows and clad in armor.

The Dawnguard DLC will be coming to Xbox consoles this summer, and more details will be available at E3. This means that if there is a Dragonborn DLC, fans probably won't see it for a while.

However, it is possible that the company is simply taking precautionary measures by trademarking its terms. Zenimax recently sent a legal warning to the creators of the Dragon Shout iOS app saying that it infringes an unspecified copyright. The Dragon Shout app allows players to mark battlegrounds of their choice and locations where unique items were found.

They're not screwing around, folks, Owen Good of Kotaku wrote referring to Zenimax. If you've got Dragonborn T-shirts, bumper stickers or other crap up on the Café Press of Etsy, now might be the time to hold a clearance sale.