The group behind US gaming giant Roblox is suing a UK food brand and its philanthropic arm over alleged intellectual property infringement.
Roblox Corporation, the Californian video game developer, filed a lawsuit in the London High Court on Friday, according to filings seen by City AM, against a British grocery business and its charity arm.
Roc Co Brands is a for-profit food manufacturer, established in May 2020 by a British family and named after their son, Rocco, who survived a severe medical crisis at birth.
The lawsuit also names its charity arm, Rocco Brands Group. The charity donates all net trading profits from Rocco Brands Group sales to healthcare and childhood sickness charities, including the NHS and Ronald McDonald House Charities UK. Its website stated it has raised £15,000 for charity over the past 12 months.
The case was filed in the Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court, a specialist court within the High Court, with law firm Winston Taylor representing the blocky playground platform. Through the UK Intellectual Property Office, Roblox Corporation holds active trademarks, including its name and logo.
The case details are not known, but one of the products the British brand recently released was Rocblox Confectionery, a collection of sour cable sweets in packages featuring robot characters on a blocky background.
Roblox Corporation, Roc Co Brands, and Winston Taylor were contacted for comment.