Activision Blizzard Sued For Virtual World Infringement

[exfileme]

A company is claiming that Call of Duty and World of Warcraft infringe on its patent.

Activision Blizzard Sued For Virtual World Infringement : Read more

 

[bobusboy]

Awesome photo for the article.

 

[stingstang]

....and they're getting away with this.
It's a dark day for entrepreneurs. It's the entrepreneur genocide pretty much. If you invent ANYTHING AT ALL, you're going to infringe on someone patent.

 

[jonathanrhunter]

I'm going to patent "the method for collecting air into one's lungs and breathing"...

 

[friskiest]

Another BS tactics to capitalize on this BS patent system.

 

[DroKing]

This is a BS suit for sure but I gotta say They had it coming after making great franchises SO GAY with COD and SC2/D3

 

[tokencode]

Can someone please patent the process of suing for patent infringement?

 

[digital anomaly]

I remember Worlds Inc.. In case you guys were wondering if they even bothered creating something based off their patent, back in early '95, when I was still using Windows 3.1, I installed AlphaWorld and Worlds Chat, two 3D online worlds owned by Worlds Inc.. At that point in time, I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

I have no doubt that their patent is legit and they'll probably win the court case, but the way they decided to enforce their patent this late in the game is just downright foul. They should have come after MMOGs actively upon launch. I guess they used NCSoft as a testbed first to see if they have enough clout to take on Activision Blizzard.

 

[elbert]

NCSoft is a new company where as Blizzard could easily show use of much the same system prier to this patent. This patent covers any multi player graphical game where a server is used to determine direction and keeps a data base. Given wow was released on November 23, 2004 I don't think this patent dated FEB 20, 2007 has any merit.

 

[invlem]

Hasn't every single multiplayer game in existence violated this patent?

Isn't the definition of multiplayer gaming effectively "users interacting in a virtual space"?

 

[memadmax]

This kind of crap is going to stifle innovation to no end, unless it's a large corporation that has an army of lawyers to fend off these trolls.....

 

[erunion]

[citation][nom]digital anomaly[/nom]I have no doubt that their patent is legit.[/citation]

No, its bogus; even by the patent system's own flawed rules. Its no different than trying to patent the displaying of words on an LCD screen. Its an obvious idea that a device capable of displaying images will display images, or that a network between computers with graphical user interfaces will be presented graphically.

 

[twelch82]

[citation][nom]jonathanrhunter[/nom]I'm going to patent "the method for collecting air into one's lungs and breathing"...[/citation]

Why not? Remember, now we're on the "first to file" rather than "first to invent" system.

 

[nicodemus_mm]

[citation][nom]DroKing[/nom]This is a BS suit for sure but I gotta say They had it coming after making great franchises SO GAY with COD and SC2/D3[/citation]

You may wish to zip your lips... your stupid is showing.

 

[jonathanrhunter]

[citation][nom]twelch82[/nom]Why not? Remember, now we're on the "first to file" rather than "first to invent" system.[/citation]
It really only does the world any good if inventions end up invented. The U.S. system for approving patents is remarkably good at keeping inventors suppressed and awarding money to people and corporations that have proved they are good at writing ideas down for things they never intend to realize.

 

[amdfangirl]

Have they decided to patent the patent yet?

Imagine the power of th patent troll.

All your base belong to us.

 

[JOSHSKORN]

[citation][nom]jonathanrhunter[/nom]I'm going to patent "the method for collecting air into one's lungs and breathing"...[/citation]
I've got one up on you. I'm going to patent the 5 senses.

 

[beetlejuicegr]

If Benjamin Franklin lived and had a patent on electricity he would own our "behinds" and of course everything that operated with electricity (from digital to analog) would have to pay him rights 😛

 

[gti88]

Can I patent a "method of posting endless patents-connected news".

 

[esrever]

I shall patent the ability to patent something and sue people for it.

 

[drwho1]

EXTRA! EXTRA!
Lawyers went on Strike!
Word is that Lawyers were not getting paid due to game developers have not sold their games.
An investigation on this matter revealed that Players have stop supporting them because they apparently got tired of what they call "patent trolls".

Well at least something good has come out of this.
face_mischief

 

[A Bad Day]

There's a fine line between suing to defend your patents, and waiting when the apples are ripe for harvesting.

 

[anonymous32111]

CEO Thom Kidrin can suck a fat dick, get a real job asshole.

 

[Benihana]

Hopefully World's Inc. gets their asses handed to them by Bobby Kotick. And then I hope he goes to work on them after this debacle is over.

For the record, I don't like Activision because of Bobby Kotick, but my dislike towards trolls in general is far greater. Buncha lazy assholes.

 

[everygamer]

Unless Worlds, Inc. sues every single game developer in the industry they are not actively protecting their patent and it might be found in default. Then the question rises why did they wait so long to start generating these lawsuits. Ultima Online and Everquest were doing this a decade ago.