Sony Sued Over Buzz! Trivia

Sony has been sued by Buzztime Entertainment, a California-based company that claims the Buzz! line of trivia games for the PlayStation 2 infringes on its trademarks.

Buzztime, which manufactures trivia games for use in pubs and restaurants, had registered numerous "buzz"-related trademarks including "Buzztime," "Buzzhead," "Buzzkids" and "Share the Buzz," according to a report on GameSpot. The company claims Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is offering "similar products to similar audiences, sometimes through similar channels," and that the company has engaged in "malicious, fraudulent, knowing, willful and deliberate" trademark infringement by misleading its customers into thinking the trivia games are related to Buzztime.

The issue was brought to a head when Sony filed for three Buzz! trademarks, all of which are still pending. Buzztime is seeking the recall and destruction of all offending Buzz! trivia products, as well as actual and punitive damages, legal fees and an order to the U.S. Patent Office to deny Sony's request to register the Buzz! trademarks.