NCsoft Lawsuit Could Affect All MMOs

Korean MMO giant NCsoft will be taken to court by Worlds.com claiming two patent infringements: scalable chat and system of enabling user interaction in a virtual space, which could practically threaten all MMOs out there. Check Massively's excellent report on this story.

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Wow that is a major claim there. I'm sure if they win this case their second prey is WoW, and couldn't they go after Home and Second Life aswell?

As implied in the article, NCsoft will be the test target, in its current tight-budget state and most-likely less-than-top lawyers at hand.

If, and that's a big if, Worlds.com score a precedent with their lame case and win the lawsuit, I would predict they'll target mid-range developers and publishers like SOE.

Blizzard will be a tough one for them, especially with their huge assets and lawyers.

We'll have to wait and see how this cake cooks.

Don't patents expire? And even though I read the review it seems that scalable chat is a broad spectrum and doesn't NCsoft own guild wars as well?

Patents do expire if left unrenewed, the trick is Worlds.com just received the claim for these two patents few months ago, and they just started gunning for soft targets.

And you are correct, the patent itself is a bit too broad and ridiculous since chat systems cover virtually thousands of applications aside from MMOs.

NCsoft owns ArenaNet which develops the Guild Wars franchise.

Whew that's interesting. I hope they don't win.
If they do win, they could go lawsuit-crazy.

Well luckily they don't have "An order finding that the '690 Patent is valid and enforceable". and it would be very hard to find a Judge who give them such a powerful legal tool without restrictions.

Texas judges are quite surprising, especially when it comes to copy-rights and patents.

Lets hope this won't be a bad precedent of any sort.

Sigoya:
Texas judges are quite surprising, especially when it comes to copy-rights and patents.

Lets hope this won't be a bad precedent of any sort.

Wait it's a Texas claim?

And people were saying the patent has been around since '95.

You know, in an already struggling economy, one that's hit our games too, this simply sucks tiger turds. Just what gaming companies need: To have to spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars defending themselves against these people at the expense of development and, God forbid, the lives of the games they've made. >:(

I hope this turns out like that guy who tried in vein to sue different dev.'s for violent content,(Jack Thompson er something like that). You know , he tossed rocks at a tank, tank crushed him (metaphoricly). Now NCsoft might not be the strongest company, but it is pretty damn big, if they dont squash this case, and it some how makes it to Blizzard, they would make these guys dissapear, mob style lol.

shizzie:
I hope this turns out like that guy who tried in vein to sue different dev.'s for violent content,(Jack Thompson er something like that). You know , he tossed rocks at a tank, tank crushed him (metaphoricly). Now NCsoft might not be the strongest company, but it is pretty damn big, if they dont squash this case, and it some how makes it to Blizzard, they would make these guys dissapear, mob style lol.

Unfortunately, patent lawsuits are different from one-man-crusade for censorship, especially in Texas courts, which are known to side with patent and copyright holders.

Wouldn't there be some sort of 'loophole' due to the fact that the technology wasn't patented when use of it started?

Kalia:
Wouldn't there be some sort of 'loophole' due to the fact that the technology wasn't patented when use of it started?

I'm sure they'll argue that point, but Worlds.com was the first to actually pursue these patents while developing a mockup application to support its claim (You are required to have a functional demo of the patent you pursue.)

That's why it's integral in the R&D field to lay a claim in parallel to the ongoing research efforts, even with an early and simple demonstration of a product.

Can you say... patent troll?
Wouldn't surprise me if Blizzard stepped in right now to stop it (somehow) before it becomes a precedent that could hurt them when worlds.com moves on to them.

Samah:
Can you say... patent troll?
Wouldn't surprise me if Blizzard stepped in right now to stop it (somehow) before it becomes a precedent that could hurt them when worlds.com moves on to them.

Well, not really, as Worlds.com apparantly has been around for a while. Also, a patent troll has nothing to show for it's work while Worlds has a client and users.