Skillz CEO vows to continue battling bots in mobile gaming

Skillz CEO Andrew Paradise recently spoke out about the company’s lawsuit against AviaGames, accusing the gaming company of using bots to defraud players. In a recent earnings call, Paradise revealed that Skillz received a $50 million settlement from AviaGames, totaling around $80 million. However, Paradise emphasized that this settlement is just the beginning, as he believes that many other companies are also using bots to deceive customers.

Following a patent infringement lawsuit against AviaGames, Skillz was awarded almost $43 million by the jury. However, Skillz and Big Run Studios later entered into a settlement agreement with AviaGames, which includes $7.5 million in licensing royalty payments annually for four years starting next year. Despite this settlement, Paradise stated that the $80 million received is just a small portion of the overall fraud he believes is happening in the industry.

Paradise also highlighted AviaGames’s deceptive tactics, such as referring to bots as “cucumbers” and “guides” in court documents. He mentioned that AviaGames is still operating despite the lawsuit. In addition to AviaGames, Skillz has also filed a lawsuit against Papaya Gaming for similar allegations of bot usage to defraud players.

Paradise expressed hope that their legal actions will prompt government intervention to protect consumers from fraudulent practices in the gaming industry. He emphasized Skillz’s commitment to fighting against the deceptive use of bots and creating a fairer gaming environment for all players. The article reached out to AviaGames and Papaya Gaming for comment on the matter.