The UK High Court has granted Spribe an interim injunction that will prevent Aviator LLC from launching or marketing its crash game in the UK market.
The ruling, delivered on 1 August, came after Georgian business Aviator LLC had planned to launch a similar crash game to Spribe’s Aviator title in the UK.
The decision is another milestone in the legal battle over Spribe’s’ Aviator game, which has achieved global success since its launch in 2018.
In December 2020, Spribe was granted a UK licence for Aviator, but saw Aviator LLC announce its intention to release its own game with the same name.
Spribe accused Aviator LLC of targeting its customers with promotional communication and marketing, while also claiming that Aviator LLC had infringed on its copyright.
Spribe sought an injunction in the UK High Court to halt Aviator LLC from launching in the market, arguing the game had not been authorised by the supplier.
Per a Spribe statement, Aviator LLC “provided conflicting and contradictory evidence” during the hearing and attempted to “evade responsibility” and “misdirect” the court.
It read: “At the hearing Aviator LLC sought to evade responsibility for this matter, including attempting to misdirect the UK Court by obscuring its role through the creation of a shifting network of licensing entities, denying previously stated plans to enter the UK market and refusing to provide key evidence.
“This led to Aviator LLC’s conduct being described by the Court as ‘childlike’ and ‘petulant’.”
David Natroshvili, Spribe founder, said: “I am pleased that the highly respected UK Court supports our position and has granted an injunction preventing Aviator LLC from launching and promoting its copycat game.
“Spribe created the Aviator crash game in 2018 and is the sole owner of the game globally.
“We will continue to take all necessary steps globally to protect Spribe, our partners and players from any third parties who seek to undermine or infringe our rights.”
The decision in the UK follows the Georgian Court of First Instance ruling in favour of Aviator LLC last August.
In that case, Aviator LLC won a $330m copyright and trademark infringement case against not only Spribe but Flutter Entertainment’s Georgia-facing Adjarabet brand.
Aviator LLC contested that Spribe’s use of the Aviator image and brand on the Adjarabet platform was an infringement of the original trademark, claiming Spribe registered its Aviator trademark “in bad faith”.
Spribe continues to reject these claims, insisting it holds the intellectual property to the Aviator brand.
The claims are only related to the use of the logo in Georgia, with Spribe’s trademarks outside of the Caucasus nation remaining in effect.
Aviator LLC has been contacted for comment.
The post UK High Court grants Spribe an interim injunction against Aviator LLC first appeared on EGR Intel.
Ruling prevents fellow supplier from launching or marketing “copycat” title in the UK market, in what has been heralded as a major win for the crash game giant
The post UK High Court grants Spribe an interim injunction against Aviator LLC first appeared on EGR Intel.