The UK Court of Appeal has overturned a previous High Court ruling in the ongoing copyright and branding dispute between Aviator LLC and Spribe. Issued unanimously on October 2, the judgment centers on earlier legal proceedings in Georgia, though it does not determine whether copyright infringement occurred or whether Georgian judicial findings are binding on UK courts.
Examining the appellate decision and core claims
The appellate court reversed a May ruling that had treated earlier Georgian judgments as relevant to Aviator LLC copyright claims. That initial decision provided Spribe with a procedural advantage while dismissing Aviator LLC requests for a preliminary hearing on ownership issues before the broader case advanced.
The underlying UK proceedings focus heavily on the visual elements and branding of the Aviator crash game, with Aviator LLC alleging that Spribe copied original designs featuring an aircraft and the distinctive name. In response, Spribe denies all allegations, maintaining that its artwork was created independently while disputing similarities between their respective products and trademarks.
Diverging outcomes across international jurisdictions
Legal battles involving the two entities have produced contrasting results across multiple international markets. In Malta, the First Hall of the Civil Court issued a provisional ruling favoring Spribe, finding that Aviator Studio branding resembled European Union trademarks closely enough to create consumer confusion. Conversely, in Curaçao, a Court of First Instance invalidated Aviator LLC local trademarks after the company failed to send a legal representative to defend the matter, resulting in a default win for Spribe.
