I'm currently making an indie game, and I want to title it "_______ of Mana". It's a cool name...

Zoomers have never played SoM, so there isn't anyone to alienate.
Square Enix can't do anything. Secret of Mana is strictly an English title. Japs wouldn't care.
What exactly is the title? I feel like naming it 'Mana' would be enough for you to not feel anxious, but still wanting what you want.

You're making a vidya gaem. 90% or more of your audience won't know the difference between mana and manna and just consider it an alternate spelling and/or simply don't give a fuck. You could name it Mana Simulator 2019 and it'd go over just as well.

Potion of Mana

I think you shouldn't change it, then.

why you trying to trick people into buying your game?

>The Mana of X
Solved your issue, cuck boy.

Also, don't worry about issues with the law. They can't do shit. I bet there are a lot of games named "The Legend of ___", for exemple.

You'll never finish your game, so why worry about shit that's never going to happen?

Be progressive. _____ of Womana.

>everything is varying shades of blue

"legend" is generic enough that it had been used too widely already by the time anyone thought to copyright it like they did "saga".

Too real.

Guys im going to go back in time go to japan and create a game titled Secret of Mana just to piss the faggot OP wish me luck!!!!

HABBENING!

Name it “The towns artfact”

For the record, the central artifact the game would be named after is _______ of Mana, not just Mana, so rearranging the words isn't a good fix
If you're wondering, the reason I'm using blanks is because I'm paranoid Square Enix could somehow find this thread and use it to demonstrate I "knowingly stole their title" or something

Name it the towns artifact.

>knowingly stole/infringed
Trying to title your game different enough and giving the reason why it needs to be named the way it is is pretty much the opposite of that

Might not be unwise to rearrange the wording in referring to the thing itself, then. Hell, I would think it would make for more natural sounding dialogue anyway for people to call something, say, "the Mana Crystal", rather than going out of their way to call it "the Crystal of Mana" every time.

Shard of Mana
Spire of Mana
Fountain of Mana
Catalyst of Mana
Court of Mana

Racists Of Mana

Let me ask you guys a question. In context of the setting, they often mix in another language for proper nouns into their dialogue. For instance, the might call it the "Cul du Mana" occasionally. Would using a non-English title possibly drive people off or make it harder to remember/Google?

thanks cis-scum but _____ of Trana would be more appropriate

For sure.

come up with some other name that would get the idea across without using the mana name in the title, like "seed of life" or some shit.

Keep the mana name in game, but use an analagous name for the way the title refers to it.

This is the best option. It’s a name, it doesn’t need to be super literal or be namedropped or whatever. Take liberties.

I'm no expert, so take this with as much salt as you feel like, but I would advise keeping the thing's name consistent, if it's as important as you say it is. No "calling it this other thing occasionally". As for other languages, I have no idea, so I could be super wrong, but my reaction is that it might be EASIER to remember/Google by way of the foreign phrase giving it a more distinctive name. I wouldn't use multiple languages in a single title/proper name, though.

Using a spanish-like name for a game that is based either on spanish culture or the setting is say south america etc. is acceptable, same with other languages
Using a non-english name for an english game that has nothing to do with the culture or setting in the game will drive people off because first impression it will look either low quality or a foreign game that would have to be translated

Seconding this. Hell, you might just want to call the game "The [Noun]", and let the player put together that the title refers to the important artifact they keep interacting with. Midna being the title character in Twilight Princess, for example, was a reveal unto itself, after all.

Name it. The Artifact of Managuffin.

Still shit idea though. I wouldn't play it, even less if its got shit Habbo hotel spritework. 0/10 wouldn't even pirate.

>Ass of Mana
What kind of game is this user?
Also if you're evoking an Abrahamic setting you could sprinkle in some more Aramaic/Hebrew words.

Just call it Chrono Trigger of Mana. Problem solved.

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Just giving an example lol. That's obviously not the intended title.

>getting legal advice from Yea Forums

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It can be helpful to get the opinion of the lowest common denominator, since that's who will make up the bulk of purchases.

Cuckold of Mana

kek'd at the name

>even less if its got shit Habbo hotel spritework
Good thing I was going to use ASCII artwork, then!

boner of mana
bone zone of mana
wanker of mana

Yes to both. Just come up with a new name, it's not worth the potential negatives.

IP law is complicated. Legally "of Mana" is not a trademark but it's close to several registered trademarks bearing that element, so you can bet your ass that they'll sue you if they deem you threatening enough.

The thing is, big companies often flex their muscle without legal merit. If you actually stood up to it (which would probably cost hundreds of thousands in legal fees, I imagine you'd win the suit, as long as it's not something stupid like Sord of Mana, which is obviously 1 character short of Sword of Mana, a registered trademark. But as you probably don't have the money to defend yourself, it's better to just avoid this entirely and pick a name that's not likely to step on anyone's toes

Name it Final Phantasy Star of Mana, just to make it clear what your game is about

I assure you, if you drop ''of'' and leave Mana, it will produce better results. You may think that if your name somehow reminds people of certain game (a RPG in this case) it will do you good. It won't. People will automatically assume it's just a copy/paste of a said game and only a small portion of players will show interest in it.
While on the subject, let's make a little test. Imagine if you name your game
>_______ of Fire
>_______ Fire
Now, one of those reminds you of something, yes?

Thinking about it, you're right. I wasn't sure if Secret of Mana was prevalent enough in the public conscious, but I don't want even 1 in 100 people to conflate the two games.
I'll keep the name of the artifact and look for a different title.

Just do it
Legal action is free PR
The worst that can happen is having to change the name

How well is Scrolls doing, exactly?

So your game is called The nigger of mana or whatever, just go on the trademark registry and look up "of mana" if it's trademarked for square than no, but if it's just secret or illusion/gaia (forgot what the second one was) then you should be good, also, worst case scenario you get a C&D and have to change it.

I heard the guy who made it is a millionaire now ;-)

Good call, nice thread OP

Square Enix is protective of its IP, as rampant and vicious as Bethesda and ThePokemonCompany/Nintendo.

You WILL have a fight on your hands.

Notch didn't want to change the name