The legal battle between Spribe and Aviator Studio continues in Europe, where the First Hall of the Civil Court of Malta issued a provisional ruling in favor of the former company. Under the ruling, Aviator Studio and its brands must stop using signs that are similar or identical to Spribe’s trademarks.
Maltese Court Ruled in Favor of Spribe
For context, Spribe and Aviator Studio have been locking horns for some time now due to the similarity between Spribe’s flagship Aviator game and the visual similarities of Aviator Studio products. Spribe adamantly insists that Aviator Studio’s products infringe on its Aviator trademarks and continues to seek legal remedies.
These lawsuits involve the branding, which features the word Aviator alongside a picture of a plane, visual elements of the Aviator game, and the fact that both Spribe and Aviator seem to be targeting the same audiences.
The legal clash has seen various developments, with some courts apparently favoring Aviator Studio and others standing firmly behind Spribe.
In this case, the First Hall of the Civil Court of Malta just ruled that Aviator Studio’s Aviator branding was similar to Spribe’s, creating likely confusion. The court cited instances in which both companies’ Aviator games have appeared alongside each other, making it difficult for players to distinguish between the two.
As a result, the court ruled that Aviator Studio and its brands must stop using signs that are the same or similar to Spribe’s EU trademarks and are related to identical or similar products.
The affected brands include Aviator Studio Limited, Aviator Studio Holding Limited and Aviator Studio USA Limited, all of which must also stop using the aviator.studio trademark.
It should be noted that this is only a provisional injunction that Aviator Studios can dispute.
Spribe Hailed the Ruling
Spribe officials commented on the latest development, hailing the First Hall of the Civil Court of Malta’s decision. The company’s founder, David Natroshvili, said that Spribe has been gaining legal momentum after several positive outcomes. He added that he hopes the positive outcomes will continue in October in the UK, where Spribe’s multi-territorial preliminary injunction request will be heard.
We are continuing to take all reasonable steps to protect our creation, the Aviator game, that is enjoyed by customers in Europe and across the world.
David Natroshvili, founder, Spribe
While the latest court ruling marks a win for Spribe, the legal matter is likely far from closed.