Why a GTA VI Trademark Application Was Marked 'Abandoned' - and How Take-Two Fixed It
One of Take-Two Interactive's Grand Theft Auto VI trademark applications was briefly marked as 'abandoned' earlier this year after a missed filing, but it was successfully revived just eight days later.
This article is a bit technical, so here's a summary if you just want the details:
Take-Two briefly allowed one of its 16 active GTA VI trademark applications to become abandoned in April 2026 after failing to file the required paperwork. Just eight days later, the company successfully revived it, and the application remains active. We also found a separate GTA VI trademark application that was abandoned in 2024 and never revived because it appears to be a duplicate.
The application in question, US serial number 98298472, was originally filed on December 4, 2023, alongside a much larger collection of GTA VI trademark applications submitted around the game's reveal.
Take-Two filed applications covering several versions of the GTA VI branding across four main categories: games and digital media, printed materials, clothing and entertainment services.
Each of the 4 logos below is protected against each of the 4 categories above.
GTA VI Trademark Application Abandoned and Revived
Application 98298472 covers the "full" GTA VI logo incorporating the Grand Theft Auto text with the palm-tree "VI" design for entertainment services, including online games, websites and audiovisual content.
After receiving a Notice of Allowance in March 2025, Take-Two needed to either demonstrate qualifying use of the trademark in US commerce or continue requesting six-month extensions.
Take-Two received its first extension in August 2025, but on April 6, 2026, the USPTO declared the application "ABANDONED – NO USE STATEMENT FILED."
Just eight days later, Take-Two filed a Petition to Revive alongside another extension request. The petition was granted the same day and the application returned to live status. It remains Live/Pending.
This doesn't mean Take-Two lost the GTA VI trademark itself. The company has numerous separate applications covering different logos, goods and services, this was just one of 16 which are currently still active.
Take-Two Abanboned Another GTA VI Application
We did find one other abandoned application. 98298438, covering printed materials, was abandoned in October 2024 and remains dead. Unlike the 2026 case, Take-Two didn't revive it, presumably as it has another live application covering the same general category. Therefore it seems as though this was filed as an accidental duplicate.
Most of Take-Two's other GTA VI applications remain live, with several now on their second or third extensions ahead of the game's release.
And despite the terminology, "use in commerce" doesn't necessarily mean GTA VI merchandise needs to be on sale. Each application covers specific goods or services, and Take-Two ultimately needs to demonstrate qualifying use for whatever that particular application covers.
GTA VI Trademark Applications
Take-Two filed a series of US trademark applications covering different versions of the GTA VI and VI logos. The applications protect the designs across several different categories of goods and services:
Plain "VI" Logo
- 98298330 – Games & digital media: Video game software, downloadable games and related digital media.
- 98298338 – Printed materials: Books, manuals, guides, magazines, posters and other printed material.
- 98298348 – Clothing: T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, trousers, hats, caps and other apparel.
- 98298355 – Entertainment services: Online games, gaming websites, audiovisual entertainment and video game information.
Plain "Grand Theft Auto VI" Logo
- 98298387 – Games & digital media: Video game software, downloadable games and related digital media.
- 98298398 – Printed materials: Books, manuals, guides, magazines, posters and other printed material.
- 98298407 – Clothing: T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, trousers, hats, caps and other apparel.
- 98298417 – Entertainment services: Online games, gaming websites, audiovisual entertainment and video game information.
- 98298438 – Printed materials: Printed books, manuals, guides, magazines, posters and related material.
Palm-Tree "VI" Logo
- 98298478 – Games & digital media: Video game software, downloadable games and related digital media.
- 98298490 – Printed materials: Books, manuals, guides, magazines, posters and other printed material.
- 98298501 – Clothing: T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, trousers, hats, caps and other apparel.
- 98298507 – Entertainment services: Online games, gaming websites, audiovisual entertainment and video game information.
Palm-Tree "Grand Theft Auto VI" Logo
- 98298430 – Games & digital media: Video game software, downloadable games and related digital media.
- 98298534 – Printed materials: Books, manuals, guides, magazines, posters and other printed material.
- 98298461 – Clothing: T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, trousers, hats, caps and other apparel.
- 98298472 – Entertainment services: Online games, gaming websites, audiovisual entertainment and video game information. This is the application that was temporarily abandoned in April 2026 before being revived.
Source: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Descriptions above have been shortened for readability; each link leads to the official trademark record containing the full list of goods or services.