LLC Aviator Counters Spribe's Deceptive Assertions
In a recent development, the UK High Court has granted an interim injunction to game developer Spribe, blocking Aviator LLC from launching or marketing its copycat crash game in the United Kingdom. The court's ruling upholds Spribe's intellectual property rights, protecting the originality of its award-winning Aviator crash game from alleged copyright and trademark infringement by Aviator LLC.
The court described Aviator LLC's conduct during the proceedings as "childlike" and "petulant," noting that the company provided contradictory evidence and attempted to obscure its role via a shifting network of licensing entities while denying plans to enter the UK market. This injunction prevents Aviator LLC from competing with Spribe’s Aviator game in the UK ahead of a full trial, effectively reinforcing Spribe’s legal position regarding its proprietary game design and branding.
However, it's important to note that the trial is expected to conclude before any licence is processed. The court rejected Spribe's requests to ban the use of the Aviator name and making public ownership claims, and the outcome of the wider legal dispute remains undecided.
Aviator LLC disputes the misleading claims made by Spribe and maintains it is being deliberately misrepresented. The company also won a decisive victory in Georgia, where the Supreme Court upheld decisions of two instances that Spribe infringed Aviator LLC's copyright and registered trademarks in bad faith.
Spribe initially attempted to use the UK High Court to silence Aviator LLC by requesting a ban on using the Aviator name and making public ownership claims. However, the company ultimately withdrew the majority of these requests.
The interim injunction issued against Spribe requires the company to compensate Aviator LLC for any damages if found to have been wrongly granted. It's worth mentioning that the injunction was granted in a market where Aviator LLC's licensee had no plans to enter in the near future. Aviator LLC believes the injunction holds no real consequence due to no immediate commercial activity planned and the trial expected to conclude before any licence is processed.
The court did not rule on ownership or copyright, and the outcome of the wider legal dispute remains undecided. Spribe's claims of victory are being perceived as spin and an attempt to mislead the industry, according to Aviator LLC's legal representative. Aviator LLC remains confident that the full facts will be recognized in court.
In conclusion, while the UK High Court has granted an interim injunction to Spribe, the outcome of the wider legal dispute remains undecided. Both parties continue to protect their intellectual property rights, and the court's ruling does not affect Aviator LLC's ability to apply for a UK licence from the Gambling Commission should it ever wish to do so.
- The gambling industry is closely observing the legal dispute between Spribe and Aviator LLC, as the outcome could significantly impact the intellectual property rights of game developers in finance and business.
- The finance and business implications of the court's ruling extend beyond the immediate injunction, as the wider legal dispute between the two companies could set a precedent for future cases in the gambling industry.
