Activision Blizzard, Sony, Turbine, Jagex, Turbine, and NCsoft Named in Patent Suit

Martuk · 09-16-2009, 04:52 PM

It seems that lawsuits are the new thing for the gaming industry. The Boston Globe is reporting that Paltalk Holdings Inc. has filed patent infringement lawsuits against Turbine, Sony Corp., Activision Blizzard inc., Jagex, and NCsoft. Paltalk purchased two patents from a company known as HearMe that covered technology that allows data sharing between many computers, allowing the users to all see the same digital images. Paltalk Holdings Inc. alleges that the virtual worlds created by these companies infringes on that patent.

Paltalk has already taken Microsoft to court and that ended with Microsoft deciding to settle for an undisclosed amount of money to license the patents. If Paltalk is successful in this suit, this could create a new hurdle for MMOG and online game developers. Along with that there is the potential for anyone with a current MMOG or online game to be infringing on the patent.

Quote:

Paltalk has already defended these patents successfully against industry titan Microsoft Corp. In 2006, the company sued Microsoft, claiming that the multiplayer features of its popular Halo video games violated Paltalk’s patent rights. The case went to trial in Marshall, Texas, in March, but in mid-trial Microsoft settled the matter by paying an undisclosed sum to license the Paltalk patents.

Read the full story here.

AngryBeaver · 09-16-2009, 05:10 PM

Paltalk can die in a fire. They deliberately waited years for MMO's to hit it big before suing. To wait that long should disqualify them from being able to sue. They should have done this back during EQ 1 if it was that important to them. I hate them and I rarely hate anyone or anything.

bobfish · 09-16-2009, 05:28 PM

All these patent suits are doing is pushing the MMO scene out of North America.

I mean, Europe's online market is now the same size as America's, with South Korea and China both being bigger. Why should anyone waste time and potentially a lot of money by trying to operate a game in America when they can do it without this problem in one of the three other major markets?

Dalmarus · 09-16-2009, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngryBeaver

To wait that long should disqualify them from being able to sue. They should have done this back during EQ 1 if it was that important to them.

You'd think the courts would see it this way too, but some of their decisions are so bizarre, who can guess?

Koshira · 09-16-2009, 06:30 PM

Wait, seriously? These guys developed a technology, and pressed their suit within the confines of the statute of limitations.

All the companies listed are big boys, and should understand how IP laws and patent infringement operate. The fact that they waited does not affect the validity of their claim.

Honestly, most patent lawsuits aren't pushed till late in the game for numerous reasons. Yes, potential future monetary gain is one reason, but leaving the door open for the companies (that are effectively stealing from them) to negotiate a license is another.

Yes, they're suing companies that make products we like. That doesn't make them wrong, though.

Savanja · 09-16-2009, 06:37 PM

I'm guessing they are counting on companies settling out of court. This isn't a righteous act of righting wrongs, it's a witch hunt with a paycheck.

AngryBeaver · 09-16-2009, 06:39 PM

If blizzard settles and then tries to pass the bill on to me I will unsubscribe.

Koshira · 09-16-2009, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Savanja

I'm guessing they are counting on companies settling out of court. This isn't a righteous act of righting wrongs, it's a witch hunt with a paycheck.

A lawsuit like this is almost never about justice; it's just business.

MMOs have become a profitable commodity, and if their technology is a part of that I don't understand with the issue is with letting them have their piece of the pie. They are, after all, partially to credit for helping create a game genre that everyone on this forum enjoys

Sardu · 09-17-2009, 01:18 AM

Judging by how successful Worlds.com has been with their claims of creating the tech that fuels MMOGs (that claim against NCsoft was filed almost 10 months ago now) I can't foresee this one getting much further.

Areruthalion · 09-17-2009, 03:02 AM

These companies appoint lawyers to perform various legal functions, one of which is to look through all the relevant patents. They obviously missed one.

That case against microsoft probably took a while. Microsoft being massive and all, they can string the decision out for ages, then when it seems likely that they will fail (ie. cant afford the judge lol) they settle.

They have already been successful Sardu, against Microsoft... sorry your point appears to be rather blunt on inspection.

I think this is good, will worry them a bit and make them work harder.