Skillz Wins $42.9 Million in Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against AviaGames

Skillz, a leading platform for multiplayer mobile gaming competitions, has won against its rival, AviaGames. A jury in San Jose, California, awarded Skillz nearly $42.9 million in damages after a week-long trial, concluding that AviaGames had willfully infringed upon one of Skillz's patents.

The dispute centered on accusations by Skillz that AviaGames had copied its proprietary platform and games, a claim supported by evidence of AviaGames' internal communications discussing strategies to outcompete Skillz with their platform, Pocket7Games. According to Skillz, this not only involved direct imitation but also extended to the unethical use of bots in place of human players to deceive gamers participating in real-money competitions.

The company's general counsel, Andrew Dahlinghaus, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, emphasizing its importance for promoting fairness in the industry. Skillz presented compelling evidence during the trial, including internal AviaGames communications referring to bots as "Cucumbers" and "Guides," which ultimately led to a federal investigation and a class-action lawsuit from players alleging fraud and racketeering by AviaGames.

AviaGames denied using bots in multiplayer games. Their response, indicating plans to seek a review of the decision, suggests that the legal battle may continue as the companies navigate the complex dynamics of the mobile gaming market.

Representing Skillz in this legal battle were Lazar Raynal, Chris Campbell, Jessica Benvenisty, and Matthew Wood of King & Spalding. 

For further details on the verdict and its broader implications, you can read the official verdict document.