Video Games 2008: A Great Year For Lawsuits

[Glockstar]

Nintendo, Sony face new patent suit
Wii and PS3 manufacturers taken to court by Pennsylvania man over wireless controller technology.

By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot - Posted Jan 10, 2008 5:00 pm PT

Ever since Immersion Corporation won its lawsuit against Sony over the rumble technology in PlayStation and PlayStation 2 DualShock controllers (and eventually forced nearly $100 million in damages and interest from the electronics giant), patent litigation has been a subject of keen interest in the gaming industry.

The latest dispute comes from the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, where Copper Innovations Group late last month filed suit against Nintendo and Sony for a patent it holds on a "Hand Held Computer Input Apparatus and Method."

The patent--which was filed in January of 1996--covers a method for connecting devices to a system and sorting their inputs by means of hardware identification numbers tied to each transmission. According to the suit, Nintendo and Sony are violating the Copper Innovations Group's patent by making and selling their systems and controllers. The Wii Remote, Wii Nunchuk, Sixaxis controller, and Blu-ray Remote Control are all named in the suit as infringing products.

Copper Innovations Group is seeking damages plus interest, legal fees, and an injunction permanently prohibiting Sony, Nintendo, or their agents from infringing upon the patent. An attorney for Copper declined to comment on the case (or the omission of Microsoft as a defendant) for GameSpot, while Sony and Nintendo representatives did not return requests for comment.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6184585.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;10


That's like 3 already... and it's only the 11th!

[Mochan]

Pfffttt LOL opportunist vulture I hope they lose and SOny and Nintendo sues their asses out of business.

I mean COME ON blue ray remote is infringing the patent? Next thing you know he'll be suing our asses off for using IR remote controls on our TV.

[Glockstar]

Trivia-focused Buzztime Entertainment claims SCEE's PlayStation 2 quiz games are infringing on its own line of products.
By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot Posted Jan 28, 2008 3:30 pm PT

Along with titles like EyeToy and SingStar, Sony's Buzz! line of quiz games for the PlayStation 2 have been part of a concerted effort on the part of the electronics giant to court a more mainstream audience with its gaming console. However, one company already well-established in serving that sector's trivia needs thinks Sony's family friendly games are a little too familiar.

Carlsbad, California-based Buzztime Entertainment filed suit against Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in the Southern District of California last week, alleging that the Buzz! line of games and the "It's time to get buzzing" tagline violate several of its own trademarks. Established in 1985, Buzztime makes a line of electronic trivia games most commonly found in restaurants and bars, with an estimated 13 million players each month. The company also runs quiz services over mobile phones, digital cable and satellite systems, and even offers home versions (some of them Coleco-branded) that hook up to a TV and include differently colored wireless controllers.

Buzztime does not have a trademark on the word "buzz" for use in games, but it does have a variety of similar trademarks registered as far back as 2001, including "Buzztime," "Buzzhead," "Share the Buzz," and "Buzzkids." SCEE has filed for a trio of trademarks for "Buzz!" (one with the exclamation point, two without). Each of SCEE's marks has been published for opposition, though none of them are officially registered yet.

The Buzztime Entertainment trademarks cover uses of the terms for "entertainment in the nature of interactive games played via interactive television and an interactive global computer network," and "equipment for playing a plug and play game, namely, video game machines for use with televisions, video game interactive remote control units, video game cartridges, and interactive video game programs," among other things.

Buzztime is accusing SCEE of selling similar products to similar audiences, sometimes through similar channels with the intention of misleading consumers into believing the Buzz! series of games has some association with Buzztime. The suit also alleges that SCEE is guilty of "malicious, fraudulent, knowing, willful, and deliberate" violation of its trademarks.

In addition to the recall and destruction of all infringing products, Buzztime is asking the court for actual damages, punitive damages, legal fees, and an order to the US Patent and Trademark Office not to register SCEE's pending trademarks.

As of press time, SCEE representatives had not returned GameSpot's requests for comment.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6185211.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=newstop&tag=newstop;title;13


Buzztime? I know them better by their old name: NTN.

http://www.buzztime.com/img/new/rest_01.jpg
I love NTN Trivia!

Lately tho' when I've walked into an NTN equipped bar it seems like all they're playing anymore is poker. As much as I love me some Texas Hold'em, I loves me some trivia even more.

Anyway, I don't know about this one.