Roblox versus Robox

Anyone with children knows that once they are on their phones, you can forget all about communicating with them. They don’t even listen when I enthusiastically launch into yet another riveting tale about trademarks − until a trademark issue touches directly upon their world. Then they are interested.

A recent case, Roblox versus Robox, managed to get their interest. Roblox is both a game and a platform on which you can play other people's games. Roblox is very popular in our house, where Pet Simulator X is a firm favourite.

Roblox was not very pleased when a European trademark application was filed for a Polish brand called Robox for AI-based devices and robotic toys. Surely Roblox and Robox are much too similar and therefore impermissible? Not altogether surprisingly, the European Trademarks Office also saw an above-average visual and aural similarity and Roblox won the day. Naturally, my children were in full agreement with this decision.