News
Upper Deck Settles Yu-Gi-Oh! Card Counterfeiting Case
posted on by Egan Loo
The card company Upper Deck has agreed on Tuesday to settle a lawsuit filed by Konami Digital Entertainment (KDE) for counterfeit Yu-Gi-Oh! cards. The case was set to go to trial on Tuesday after the United States District Court for the Central District of California found Upper Deck liable for the counterfeiting in December. The two parties will submit the terms of settlement, which include a permanent injunction and an undisclosed payment from Upper Deck to KDE, by Friday.
The Yu-Gi-Oh! card game is based on Kazuki Takahashi's manga of the same name, and Upper Deck once distributed the game in North America on behalf of KDE. KDE alleged last year that Upper Deck "distributed and currently is distributing to [the reseller Vintage Sports Cards] and others counterfeit reproductions of the Yu-Gi-Oh! TCG's 'Rare Cards.'" In December, the court had found Upper Deck liable for federal trademark counterfeiting and infringement, unfair competition under federal and California law, and common law trademark infringement.
Due to a separate preliminary injunction that KDE filed against Upper Deck, Upper Deck had already cancelled its Yu-Gi-Oh! events in North America last spring. KDE has since taken over operations related to the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise in North America.
Thanks to Milord & Associates PC for the news tip.
