Bethesda Parent Company ZeniMax Trademarks ‘Fus Ro Dah’

While Skyrim has birthed a great many different memes – from Skyrim hoarders to the “arrow to the knee” phenomenon – the one that Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media felt had the most staying power is “Fus Ro Dah”. They think that Fus Ro Dah is so popular that they filed applications for six different trademarks for items that would use the phrase.

That means that, if these trademarks are all granted, pretty soon it will be only ZeniMax that will be able to profit off products that carry anything related to Skyrim‘s most popular Dragon Shout.

Essentially a riff on the force push, Fus Ro Dah instantly gained Internet fame when hundreds of YouTube videos began using it as the cause of unforeseen circumstances. Some liked to collect every cheese wheel in the game and send them flying while others were looking for the simple pleasure of sending a foe toppling down a mountain. There’s no denying that the Shout is the most awesome thing to come from Skyrim, and if ZeniMax was going to trademark anything, Fus Ro Dah seems like a worthy enough candidate.

The six trademark applications in question are for various types of software including games and ringtones, instructional manuals, bags, clothing, many different types of toys, and entertainment services. Some seem like preemptive measures, while trademarking the phrase for use on clothing guarantees ZeniMax quite a bit of cash flow if they leverage it well.

The only thing that’s odd about these trademark applications is that they come nearly five months after the release of Skyrim. Many retailers and manufacturers have already capitalized on the Skyrim crazes, including Fus Ro Dah, rendering the significance of the phrase pretty moot at this point.

ZeniMax’s best chance to gain some new traction from these trademarks could come when the oft-rumored DLC finally releases. There’s been some rumbling recently that the first pack might be titled Dawnguard, but aside from that Bethesda has been pretty tight-lipped. We’re sure that gamers would jump at the chance to get back into Skyrim for some meaty content, and while they’re enjoying the new experiences maybe they’ll find themselves interested in some Fus Ro Dah swag.

Do you think that ZeniMax should be in charge of putting out anything related to Fus Ro Dah? What item (bag, shirt, toy) should they work on designing first?

Source: Fusible