SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS

Description

A63 covers apparatus, equipment, and methods for sports, games, and amusements intended for recreation and entertainment purposes. This class encompasses diverse technologies including sporting goods (balls, rackets, protective gear), gaming devices and their mechanisms, playground equipment, fairground attractions, and toys designed for physical or mental engagement. The classification extends to installations and structures for sports facilities, gaming tables, and mechanical or electronic amusement devices, but excludes clothing and footwear (covered under A41) and furniture used in sports or gaming contexts unless specifically designed as integral gaming apparatus.

Filing statistics

CPC A63 recorded 278,451 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 8 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 17,832 in 2013 to 23,303 in 2023 (+31%), peaking at 30,948 applications in 2018. The most active applicants in class A63 are NETEASE (4,324 applications), TENCENT TECHNOLOGY (SHENZHEN) COMPANY (3,255 applications) and SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT (2,643 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings