The Commodore trademark fight has reached a boiling point—and yes, the chicken lips are caught in the crossfire. What started as an announcement celebrating the Commodore brand’s return has morphed into a chaotic identity crisis. Two entities, both draped in nostalgia and ambition, now claim to hold the true keys to the Commodore kingdom. Fans watching from the sidelines are left wondering: who actually owns the brand—and who’s just cosplaying?
Let’s rewind before someone slips on a floppy disk.
Commodore Industries: The First Claim
For the past decade, Commodore Industries has operated out of Rome and London. CEO Luigi Simonetti says his company employs over 100 people, spanning fields from hardware and software to AI and education. Commodore Industries’ core business? Selling laptops and ultrabooks branded with the Commodore name—often to a European market that never really let go of the old logo.
Simonetti insists that his company holds the rights to the classic Commodore logo (yes, the “chicken lips”) and all the relevant trademarks. He says the paperwork is rock solid. From his point of view, Commodore Industries has been keeping the flame alive for years, without flashy YouTube intros or social media hype.
Enter Perifractic (and the Second Claim)
Then came June 28, 2025. Christian Simpson, better known online as “Perifractic” of Retro Recipes fame, made a big announcement. He and an investor group had purchased Commodore Corporation B.V., a Dutch company that owned 47 original Commodore trademarks—dating as far back as 1983. Notably, this included the Commodore name itself.
On July 31, Simpson’s group finalized the deal. According to his press release, the acquisition was fully paid and legally binding. Simpson now claims ownership of the legacy Commodore identity, and he’s gone full speed ahead with a bold promise to revive the brand “the way it was always meant to be.”
His company, Commodore International Corporation, immediately started hyping a new Commodore 64—a retro-styled machine cobbled together from fan-favorite parts. Cue the LED lights, clear plastic cases, and lots of “we did it” energy on social media.
Who’s Got the Real Commodore?
This is where the Commodore trademark fight gets messier than a spaghetti code BASIC program.
Commodore Industries says they’re the rightful owners of the brand and logo. They’ve released a press statement saying as much, insisting that Simpson’s deal doesn’t override their legal claims. Meanwhile, Simpson’s team fires back that they bought the real deal—the registered trademarks, not just a logo slapped on some laptops. According to them, this is more than a purchase—it’s a resurrection.
There’s no courtroom battle—yet. But both sides are making their case in public. And both seem quite comfortable letting fans sort through the confusion like a corrupted disk directory.
Two Commodores, One Brand
Let’s be honest—this isn’t a classic tale of David versus Goliath. It’s more like Goliath vs. Goliath, and both are wearing retro gear.
Simonetti’s Commodore Industries feels like the quiet operator. They’ve kept their branding efforts alive for years without much fanfare. Their product line is modern, mostly Windows-based hardware aimed at education and business sectors. From their perspective, Simpson’s arrival feels like someone bursting into the room at the eleventh hour, shouting, “I’m back!”
Simpson, on the other hand, brings charisma, followers, and plenty of marketing sparkle. His version of Commodore is a remix of community-built tech: Ultimate 64 boards, Mechboards, custom cases, and mechanical keycaps—all polished up with a Commodore sticker. There’s a signed motherboard and a glowing LED to really drive home the branding. It’s the retro-computing equivalent of forming a tribute band, then declaring yourself the original lineup.
Is it fan service or fan fiction? That’s up for debate.
The Community Is Watching
Retro computing fans aren’t new to brand confusion. Commodore has been rebooted, revived, and rebranded more times than the C64’s power switch has been flipped. But this time, things feel different. The Commodore trademark fight isn’t just about legal paperwork. It’s about perception, authenticity, and who gets to decide what Commodore really means in 2025.
Some fans are cheering for Simpson. His open communication, YouTube transparency, and “back to basics” vision feel more aligned with the original Commodore spirit. Others argue that turning a DIY Frankenstein kit into a mass-produced machine with a badge doesn’t make it official.
And then there are those who side with Commodore Industries—if only because they’ve quietly kept the brand from fading for a full decade.
Commodore as a Concept
Here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud: Commodore isn’t just a company anymore. It’s a concept. A logo. A warm memory. It’s the familiar clack of a brown keyboard, the loading whine of a datasette, and that little blue screen waiting for your first command.
The trademark might be the legal heart of the issue, but for fans, the brand lives in the machines, the games, and the people keeping them running. Ownership feels secondary to authenticity—and right now, both sides are asking for that crown.
What’s Next?
Unless someone throws down in court, this is likely to remain a public war of press releases, YouTube comments, and trademark PDFs. For now, fans can expect two Commodores: one focused on sleek modern tech and another built on retro-styled machines that look ready for a 1984 tech show.
But if you’re hoping for a united front, don’t hold your breath. Commodore’s messy legacy has always come with a side of legal spaghetti. This latest Commodore trademark fight is just another reboot—one with LEDs, lawyers, and likely more drama ahead.
