Activision Blizzard Sued Over Virtual Worlds Patent Infringement

[News Portal]

Gaming conglomerate Activision Blizzard are being sued by a smaller firm called Worlds Inc. Worlds Inc are taking Blizzivision to court to settle a patent infringement, saying Actizzard are using their patented "system and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space". That sounds a bit vague to this reporter but Worlds Inc may be feeling lucky, as the last time they tried the same suit against NCSoft over City of Heroes, the case was settled nicely out of court. Blactizzision have yet to respond.

Source: Games Industry International

Read full article by GON News

[kargar]

hat sounds a bit vague to this reporter but Worlds Inc may be feeling lucky, as the last time they tried the same suit against NCSoft over City of Heroes, the case was settled nicely out of court. Blactizzision have yet to respond.

NCsoft are nowhere as big as bliz and I really cant see them getting any money inside or outside a court room bliz makes more money off wow then NCsoft would through all their mmo's put together. so will be interesting

[Breakin]

So why wasnt this issue brought up when people started makeing MMO's?

[TRB]

So why wasnt this issue brought up when people started makeing MMO's?

Its all about the details.
obviously they think they have a patent for a specific system and they think its being infringed upon without the due royalties being paid.

[wyver]

One day everyone is going to be sued and then everyone is going to be out of work and have no money left, everyone is going to be ruined, the collapse of modern society.

[kargar]

would just like to take the time to say I am suing everyone for breathing as I have the patent for using your lungs.

[jerichosainte]

One day everyone is going to be sued and then everyone is going to be out of work and have no money left, everyone is going to be ruined, the collapse of modern society.

Would of happened a long time ago if it wasn't for insurance.

[wyver]

would just like to take the time to say I am suing everyone for breathing as I have the patent for using your lungs.

I would like to announce that I am suing you for the breach in copyright for air going into the lungs and the un-authorises use of air to which I have the patent on.

[wyver]

One day everyone is going to be sued and then everyone is going to be out of work and have no money left, everyone is going to be ruined, the collapse of modern society.

Would of happened a long time ago if it wasn't for insurance.

true, its kinda like how everyone has nukes and fingers are hovering over the red button all they need its that little nudge and we have chaos in our hands.

[Devourer221]

Does that mean i can have a patent on specific elements? I'm so going to sue all your asses for using my oxygen!

[TRB]

Does that mean i can have a patent on specific elements? I'm so going to sue all your asses for using my oxygen!

Did you invent or discover oxygen and/or how to make it?

People should go and look up what a patent is.

[Sathias]

Does that mean i can have a patent on specific elements? I'm so going to sue all your asses for using my oxygen!

Did you invent or discover oxygen and/or how to make it?

People should go and look up what a patent is.

The other side of it is that gaining a patent is very expensive business. One of my clients patented some work I did for him and I reckon he spent more on lawyers and insurance to defend the patent than he did on the work he patented.

Then actually defending a patent is no picnic either. Even before getting to court, you can build up a hell of a lot of ill-will going after people you believe have violated your patent. I saw some pretty nasty forum threads around the net about my client and his patent.

In the end I don't think it was really worthwhile for my client, unless you can bag a big company or companies using your patent (like the CSIRO did with wireless) AND survive all the legal appeals OR get it bought out by another bigger company, it seems to be more bother than it's worth to me.

[revengous]

In the end I don't think it was really worthwhile for my client, unless you can bag a big company or companies using your patent (like the CSIRO did with wireless) AND survive all the legal appeals OR get it bought out by another bigger company, it seems to be more bother than it's worth to me.

definitely, patients are all about big cash, you need to be ready to face all of the legal stuff that comes with it.

should be interesting to see the outcome of this, although if virtual worlds have already tried this and fails it seems like the patient was done just for this reason, and will probably fail.

[InAUGral]

In other patent news, recently Microsoft bought 800 AOL (America online) patents for $1 Billion. They did not release what patents were included but they did state that they were patents that would suit "microsofts interests". AOL now have some much needed cash. I really hate patent trolls that manage to buy an old patent then sue for lots of money.