Apparently there's a patent for "System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space" owned by Worlds.com. NCSoft, the creators of games like Guild Wars, Lineage II and City of Heroes is being sued by them for apparently infringing on their patent by making an MMORPG. A news story can be found here.
Last time I checked, I didn't know a company had a patent for an entire genre of video games, and a huge one at that. Who's next? Blizzard?
lol @ them not going after Blizzard, who would be an infinitely more high-profile and profitable target. The little shits go after NCSoft because they think it won't be as publicized? Douchebags.
Also as another user pointed out on the news story site, the patent was filed nearly a decade after the first MMO was created. It's dirty of them to pursue this lawsuit and it's doubly dirty of them to go after NCSoft, which is a good company going through some bad times at the moment. However, since the ruling of this lawsuit will affect the entire MMO industry and provide a precedent, I don't think other companies such as Blizzard will just stand idly by. Epic lawyers assemble!
"Also as another user pointed out on the news story site, the patent was filed nearly a decade after the first MMO was created. It's dirty of them to pursue this lawsuit and it's doubly dirty of them to go after NCSoft, which is a good company going through some bad times at the moment. However, since the ruling of this lawsuit will affect the entire MMO industry and provide a precedent, I don't think other companies such as Blizzard will just stand idly by. Epic lawyers assemble!"
I dunno. Besides Tabula Rasa, NCSoft is doing alright, aren't they? Guild Wars is one of the most popular MMOs ever.
Is that all people care about now a days is money? Seriously is it worth putting hundreds of people out of work just so you can make money off of a silly lawsuit. Really World.com suing because someone made an MMORPG would be like EPIC suing Naughty Dog because both have games that are third person shooters with a cover system.
Here's the patent link: http://www.google.com/patents?id=wv5-AAAAEBAJ&dq=7,181,690
And I really hope they can pull through with prior art, it's not a guarantee win but for such a common sense case like this I assume the courts will do the right thing.
"Also as another user pointed out on the news story site, the patent was filed nearly a decade after the first MMO was created. It's dirty of them to pursue this lawsuit and it's doubly dirty of them to go after NCSoft, which is a good company going through some bad times at the moment. However, since the ruling of this lawsuit will affect the entire MMO industry and provide a precedent, I don't think other companies such as Blizzard will just stand idly by. Epic lawyers assemble!"
Well it specifies 3D so I guess Neverwinter Nights doesn't apply... but then we go to Meridian 59 (thanks Wikipedia) in 1995, 12 years prior to the patent. Or we could go with something popular, like Everquest or Asheron's Call (1999), which is still 8 years ahead.
"lol @ them not going after Blizzard, who would be an infinitely more high-profile and profitable target. The little shits go after NCSoft because they think it won't be as publicized? Douchebags."
I woulden't really call NCSoft a "little guy". Yeah, they're not as big as say EA, but it's not exactly a small operation of like 10 guys in an office.
This whole lawsuit is ludicrous and they're only targeting NCSoft because it is the middle man between Blizzard and some small company. So they can get the most money with the least resistance.
Technically, most online games fit the description.
You know who would be the biggest target right now, even bigger than Blizzard? Sony, for making Home. It would be much wiser for World.com to sue Sony because they have $, and Home just came out, giving World.com the excuse that "they just noticed", so it won't look like they are out just for financial gain.
Home also fits the description well.
"System and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space"
Do you guys really think that the lawsuit will go through? If NCSoft loses the whole industry is in trouble, as there will be an extremely strong and recent precedent.
These money grubbing bastards make smokers who sue cigarette companies look like saints.
"Do you guys really think that the lawsuit will go through? If NCSoft loses the whole industry is in trouble, as there will be an extremely strong and recent precedent.
These money grubbing bastards make smokers who sue cigarette companies look like saints."
Ok first of all lets not blow this out of proportion, its not going to suddenly kill an entire genre of video game. Secondly they went after NCSoft because like Jayge said, they are the little guy and aren't doing too well at the moment financially. Why do you think we've not seen or heard anything about GW2 in over a year after the announcement?
And finally, I would like to see them sue Blizzard who will likely call up some demons from Azeroth's firey hells to smite those fools down with high level rade gear. Then hopefully share the loot and XP with us all....ok I'll stop the nerdy talk now.
But seriously I can't imagine Blizzard actually standing by while the possible future of their golden child and cash machine WoW could be in slight trouble.
While Hamz is undercrediting the significance of this type of thing, let's bring the reality forward:
If a court, any court, were to rule in the favor of Worlds.com, then it would essentially go beyond JUST MMORPG games. Essentially, that patent could be translated to something like flat-out online gaming. Then who's to say it couldn't be led to internet interactions in general? MySpace? Facebook? Napster?
To be honest, the patent is an extremely broad, vague descriptor that is easily defendable. I would imagine that, most likely, a judge would laugh and say "yeah right" to this. However, this could easily become a monumental case if some judge were screwy enough to say that Worlds.com is totally in the right.
Going after NCSoft is the smart first move on their part. Let's hope this gets dismissed ASAP.
"lol @ them not going after Blizzard, who would be an infinitely more high-profile and profitable target. The little shits go after NCSoft because they think it won't be as publicized? Douchebags."
I woulden't really call NCSoft a "little guy". Yeah, they're not as big as say EA, but it's not exactly a small operation of like 10 guys in an office.
This whole lawsuit is ludicrous and they're only targeting NCSoft because it is the middle man between Blizzard and some small company. So they can get the most money with the least resistance."
NCSoft is the smaller target than Blizzard. I definitely didn't call NCSoft the little guy. As a company, they are larger. Well, were larger. We have ActiBlizzard now.
Apparently Worlds.com had carefully planned this out, as they filed the patent suit in East Texas, a court notorious for ruling against foreign defendants. Heck, even Nintendo lost there to some con artist who thought he held some sort of patent on Gamecube controllers.
"lol @ them not going after Blizzard, who would be an infinitely more high-profile and profitable target. The little shits go after NCSoft because they think it won't be as publicized? Douchebags."
Actually, they plan to go against Blizzard after this. But the patent is extremely vague, its like somebody patenting a method to breath.
I would imagine the first thing a court would ask is why take so long to bring this to court in the first place. The obvious answer is money, but Worlds.com is going to have to bring up some kickass argument to make a viable case.
Perhaps I am ignoring the serious implications this could bring if the case went in Worlds.com's favour. But I just do not see them actually winning outright....not if Blizzard gets its act together and uses the billions they must of made from WoW to pay every lawyer in existance to fight this for them.
On the contrary Hamz, most speculators are saying that Worlds.com has a somewhat strong case. Of course we all want NCSoft to pull through, with or without Blizzard's help but there's no denying the situation is somewhat perilous at the moment. To add insult to injury, the suit was filed on Christmas Eve. How lame can these guys get?
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