In the wonderful world of intellectual property law, patent lawsuits are a dime a dozen. Often, they're ridiculous, transparent attempts at money grabbing. Here's another one.
Worlds.com, a website that no one has ever heard of, filed a patent back in 2000 for a "method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space" in an "interactive virtual world system". In 2007, this patent was approved. Now that they basically have a patent on the internet, they've gone ahead and initiated a lawsuit against NCsoft, known for MMOs like Guild Wars, Aion, and the soon-to-be defunct Tabula Rasa, for infringing on said patent.
NCsoft is the first target, but more are sure to follow (especially once the lawyers find out about a little company called Activision-Blizzard). While it's extremely likely that the patent will get pulled for being too broad, there's always a small chance that the case will actually go to trial. If, for some reason, it succeeds, there are incredibly serious ramifications for almost everyone in the gaming industry.
Do you think the lawsuit has merit? Is the industry in danger of an onslaught of lawsuits from Worlds.com?
[Via G4]
Jonathan Ross is an Associate Editor in Los Angeles who is obsessed with capybaras. Like, seriously, obsessed. If he's not playing Team Fortress 2 or getting into arguments about why PC gaming is superior, he's either off having a fancy dinner with lots of expensive wine, or sitting on the Destructoid IRC complaining that's he's not off having a fancy dinner.
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Contest:
8:30 PM on 12.30.2008
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Would mere conversation during a Gears 2 session count as users interacting in a virtual environment?
World of Warcraft...
Everquest 2...
EVE Online...
Ever free Asian MMO...
They have a long list of people to sue. Good fucking luck.
Also cocks.
dude worlds.com are going to cream their pants when they hear about world of warcraft...
Im surprised why they didnt go after WoW first... NCsoft is barely even a target... I dont think they have a lot of money... wouldnt you go after the big ones first??
seriously... theres not going to be enough towels or pants... when they take on the WoW...
Its funny because when they take on WoW... its gonna be like taking on the tobacco industry... they are going to bury them in paperwork.. and worlds.com would probably run out of money before Blizzard...
also wanted to say... GOD BLESS AMERiCA!!! I never thought Id get to see some frivolous lawsuits in my life... let the shitstorm begin...
It's called precendence. A successful case against NC Soft means they would have a much better chance at getting Sony or ActiBlizz to just settle out of court.
I hope they're eaten by a grue.
http://knol.google.com/k/dv8-org/worldscom-a-history/2pp40c68ytz4j/2#
The patent itself is actually continued on from a much earlier filing date, November 13, 1995, putting it ahead of NCsoft's founding in 1997. it is spacificaly aimed at the display and interaction of avatars in virtual worlds and massively multiplayer games Worlds.com has been around since 1994, way before most mmorgs and if you own a patent for somthing as spacific as how an item Works, Lokks and moves wouldnt you want credit for it?
To "darkwhitehair" with his God Bles America comment NCsoft, is primarily a Korean company although offices in Texas, maybe Worlfs.com with its American owned company being in Boston, is looking for a biased pro american jury?
To "cryocide" Ron Britvich joined KAW. He worked on the AlphaWorld (renamed Active Worlds) project inside KAW, along with the "official" product Worlds Chat. KAW was renamed as Worlds Inc.
khz.
only this time the ants are real
and to think...i almost worked for the cunts..