Summary
- Invisible Narratives filed a lawsuit against Next Level for trying to “steal” the Skibidi Toilet IP.
- It alleges that Next Level is holding “legitimate Skibidi Toilet content hostage” following DMCA takedown notices issued to YouTube that saw a compilation video removed from DaFuq!?Boom!’s channel.
- Next Level has 21 days to respond to the lawsuit.
Invisible Narratives, the entertainment company making a Skibidi Toilet movie with Michael Bay and series creator Alexey ‘DaFuq!?Boom!’ Gerasimov, has filed a lawsuit against Next Level, who it claims are “professional scam artists and extortionists” trying to “steal” the Skibidi IP.
Invisible Narratives also has pending applications with the US Patent and Trademark office.
“It’s indisputable that the global phenomenon of Skibidi Toilet belongs to Boom and his partnership with Invisible Narratives,” a spokesperson told Polygon. “Our lawsuit explains how Next Level has tried to hijack our brand by making false U.S. government filings to acquire copyrights and trademarks and using its fraudulent intellectual property to brazenly try to extort Invisible Narratives and Boom through threats to ban our YouTube channel.”
Next Level Claims It’s The Rightful Owner Of Skibidi Toilet
Next Level owner Sergey Osadchy, who owns the Skibidi Toilet domain and has copyright registrations for 17 characters, refutes these claims. He argues that he created a game called Skibidi Toilet in 2020 before the famous web series aired its first episode. However, this game was never released. It was only made available for pre-order in 2024, prior to being taken down.
Next Level’s Full Statement.
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“When I realized that the internet was full of materials based on my work, I initiated the process of registering my brand. The registration was successful in the EU, and now my brand is undergoing registration in other countries. I discovered numerous similar materials on YouTube and in apps on iOS and Android platforms. I decided not to file complaints against YouTube channels, as they were promoting my brand, but I began filing complaints against apps on behalf of my company to protect the brand’s reputation before the game’s release. I also encountered attempts by third parties to register intellectual property rights to my brand. I am currently filing objections to all such applications in all jurisdictions. I have registered copyrights for more than 20 characters from my game universe with the U.S. Copyright Office.”
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Last month, Next Level issued a DMCA takedown notice against the Skibidi Toilet channel run by Boom, claiming that a video comprising every episode from season 25 violated copyright. YouTube took the video down on January 24, and it has yet to be reinstated. Next Level then emailed Invisible Narrative the following: “In view of the above, we suggest that you enter into a dialog with us and resolve all contentious issues through negotiations”. It demanded a response by January 31. It then threatened to issue another DMCA takedown notice on February 5.
Invisible Narrative alleges that Next Level is upholding a “false narrative” and that it has been using YouTube’s DMCA takedown notice policy to wrongfully “hold legitimate Skibidi Toilet content hostage.” Invisible Narrative fears that further DMCA takedowns could even see the Skibidi Toilet channel suspended. Hence the lawsuit.
It wants Next Level to pay $150,000 for each infringement and a further $100,000 in damages for “cyberpiracy”, as well as damages for “unfair competition”. Next Level has 21 days to respond.
- Released
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November 29, 2006
- ESRB
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m
- Developer(s)
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Facepunch Studios