Rubik’s Cube owner loses trademark battle with Greek rival

Rubik's Cubes are seen at a frat house on the campus of Brown University in Providence, R.I. Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007. (AP / Elise Amendola)

BRUSSELS — Rubik’s Cube owner Spin Master Toys UK on Wednesday lost its battle against a Greek rival as Europe’s second-highest court annulled trademarks related to the shape of the iconic puzzle.

Invented by Hungarian professor Erno Rubik in 1974, the multicolored cube puzzle is popular among young and old, with hundreds of millions sold worldwide. The brand was acquired by Canadian children’s entertainment company Spin Master in 2021.

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Spin Master took its case to the Luxembourg-based General Court after Greece’s Verdes Innovations SA in 2013 asked the EU trademark office to invalidate several trademarks registered by Spin Master’s predecessor between 2008 and 2012.

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) backed Verdes, saying Rubik’s Cube trademarks had been registered contrary to EU law. The Greek company makes puzzle cubes under the V-CUBE brand.

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The General Court backed EUIPO.

“The General Court confirms the annulment of trade marks consisting of the shape of the ‘Rubik’s cube,’” judges said.

“As the essential characteristics of that shape are necessary to obtain a technical result, it should not have been registered as an EU trade mark,” they said.

Spin Master Toys said it will continue to safeguard the Rubik Cube’s trademarks.

“Spin Master continues to hold other forms of protection for its well-known Rubik’s Cube, which it remains committed to protect. The company will continue to defend the distinctiveness and recognition of this iconic toy,” the company said in an email.

Spin Master can appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union, Europe’s highest.

The case is T-1170/23 Spin Master Toys UK v EUIPO - Verdes Innovations.

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Reporting by Foo Yun CheeEditing by Mark Potter