The War Z's bungled launch forced Valve to pull the game after players complained about a product that over-promised and under-delivered. Executive producer Sergey Titov must have been visited by a few Christmas spirits, as he has apologized for how the launch was handled.

In a long letter to fans (via Kotaku), Titov apologized for becoming "arrogant and blinded by the early success and quick growth" of the game. The letter goes on to look a bit more objectively at the communication problems the game has experienced, with Titov explaining that community management, marketing and forum policies were being reevaluated. "We will clearly implement steps to better listen to the community," he said.

Before Titov and company can move forward, however, they must address yet another issue. Kotaku also reports that The War Z trademark has been suspended by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Titov said the company's attorney is working with USPTO to resolve the issue, but barring resolution, developer Hammerpoint Interactive may be forced to change the name of the game.