Commodore International Corporation (CIC), the company behind the modern Commodore 64 Ultimate project, has filed legal action in Italy against tech startup Commodore Industries S.r.l.
The case concerns the use and ownership of the Commodore trademarks, with CIC seeking to establish what it describes as its “legitimate and exclusive” rights to the historic brand.
The action was filed on 12 December 2025 following what CIC says were “months of good-faith efforts” to reach a cooperative resolution with Commodore Industries. According to the company, these discussions included attempts to offer a pathway to “legitimate collaboration.”
CIC says action aims to prevent confusion
In a statement provided by CIC’s legal counsel, John Errico, the company said its primary concern is protecting the integrity of the original Commodore brand and preventing confusion among fans, consumers, and the wider retro-computing market.
“Commodore International Corporation has a responsibility to protect its legacy and preserve the community’s trust in the original Commodore name,” Errico stated. “Our decision to pursue this legal action is not taken lightly, and comes only after all other reasonable methods to resolve this matter have been exhausted.”
Errico added that CIC views safeguarding the brand and its trademarks as essential to ensuring that unlicensed or unapproved products do not appear in the market under the Commodore name.
The full statement from CIC’s Legal Counsel, John Errico, is as follows:
“Commodore International Corporation has a responsibility to protect its legacy and preserve the community’s trust in the original Commodore name. We have a deep commitment to safeguarding the brand against unlicensed and unapproved products, and protecting the Commodore trademarks from unlicensed use is paramount. Our decision to pursue this legal action is not taken lightly, and comes only after all other reasonable methods to resolve this matter have been exhausted. Our focus is on preventing the Commodore name from being used in ways that could confuse the community or the marketplace.
“We recognize and deeply value the passion and dedication of the Commodore community, who have kept the spirit of the brand alive for decades. Our goal is to protect that legacy and to foster a positive, creative environment for all who love Commodore—past, present, and future.”
Dispute over trademark validity
CIC’s position is that the trademark registrations held by Commodore Industries S.r.l., a company founded in 2017, were “improperly granted” and are “invalid as a matter of law.” The validity of those registrations is now a question before the Italian civil court.
Commodore Industries S.r.l. has not issued a public response to CIC’s filing at the time of writing, and nothing in CIC’s announcement indicates how the company intends to respond. As the matter is now active litigation, CIC says it will not comment further on the specifics of the case.
Commodore licensing plans to open in the new year
CIC also confirmed that opportunities for officially licensed Commodore products will expand in the coming weeks. A new Licensing Pipeline tool is planned to launch at commodore.net, giving creators, developers and manufacturers a formal route to request approval for future projects.
CIC describes itself as the sole steward of the original Commodore brand, tracing its rights back to the company founded in 1958. The organisation’s advisory team includes former Commodore figures such as Leonard Tramiel and key engineers responsible for systems including the Commodore 128 and the original Commodore 64.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
