The most ridiculous lawsuit I've ever heard of.

K

KirbyRockz

Moderator
http://news.softpedia.com/news/NCsoft-Hit-with-Patent-Infringement-Lawsuit-101021.shtml

Worlds.com, a company specialized in virtual world development, says that it has filed a suit against NCsoft, a MMO publisher best known for operating City of Heroes/City of Villains, related to the way it has implemented technology in its multiplayer games. The law suit is for patent infringement and the main problem is related to a patent for “System and Method for Enabling Users to Interact in a Virtual Space”. No court date has been set for the trial.

World.com says that all of NCsoft's MMOs, including Dungeon Runners, City of Heroes/Villains and Lineage II, are in violation of the patent. Worlds.com was launched in 1994 and during the recent months it has attracted some attention by saying that it holds patents for two essential MMO technologies, “scalable chat” and “user interaction in a virtual space.”

If this is true, World.com is basically in control of two patents that would allow the company to draw revenue from all MMOs currently in operation, including heavy weights like World of Warcraft from Blizzard, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning from Mythic and Electronic Arts or The Lord of the Rings Online. The patents the firm has were obtained in 2001, after applications for them were filled in 1996.

The Worlds.com law suit has been filed in the Eastern District of Texas and the company is trying to get all NCsoft operated MMOs to stop activity while the patent infringement is investigated. Damages in compensation for the infringement, amounting to “in no event less than a reasonable royalty” and lawyers' fees are also sought by Worlds.com.

NCsoft will probably argue that the patents invoked in the trial are void as similar technologies have been independently used in a wide variety of games, some of them before the patent was obtained by Worlds.com.
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First off, the reason I'm not putting this in the PC section is because I am not discussing a PC game, but rather a legal controversy surrounding it. This topic is about the lawsuit, not the game.

Anyway, this lawsuit in a nutshell: A company known as "worlds.com" is suing PlayNC (makers of City of Heroes/Villains, both MMORPGs) for infringing a patent they created. The patent is basically for communication to others through a virtual world. If this absolutely absurd lawsuit goes through, then all MMOs are seriously at risk, for all MMORPGs involve some sort of virtual communication with others. Last time I checked, can't a group only file a patent for a methodology, not an idea? If so, then Coke would've been able to sue Pepsi and all makers of soda years ago for creating a carbonated beverage using caffeine and flavoring. Personally, I think this lawsuit is just a way for the suers to get some quick cash. They targeted PlayNC first because, unlike Blizzard, it's a small company... and doesn't have the financial means to maintain a legal battle. They'll probably settle out of court, giving Worlds.com some quick cash... which is completely a jerk move IMO.

Think this'll actually go through?
 
this sounds like it shouldn't go through.... is like if nintendo sued sony for making LBP a platformer.... (sure they took out the mario based stages but not the entire game) or if microsoft sued sony for making a shooter....it just doesn't make sense to sue another company for creating a game of specific genre.... because EVERYTHING, books, movies, games all fall in a category/genre... and this lawsuit looks like they are suing other MMOs... because an MMO is “System and Method for Enabling Users to Interact in a Virtual Space”.

if this goes through then....no no no i honestly don't think there is a way for worlds.com to win this lawsuit
 
YES!! No More MMO's!!!

On a serious note, this lawsuit is a jerk move. Although their patent is legit, there is no way it can encompass the entire world of MMO's. And you're right Kirby, if they truly believe MMO's are in the wrong, then go after Blizzard. They would make more money.
 
“System and Method for Enabling Users to Interact in a Virtual Space”
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A.K.A. ANY networked communicative computer programs, depending on how "space" is defined, but certainly such a thing can't be patented.

I don't know what's more shocking, the exploitation of current justice systems that are ill-equipped to throw such ridiculous lawsuits out the window, or the fact that the outcome of such a lawsuit is actually put into the hands of a justice system that may, as already mentioned, be unable to kick it to the curb with the force it necessitates.

Actually they are equally shocking, because they're essentially the same thing... the moral of the story is, don't sue people just because they actually found a use for something you thought you "invented."
 
That is the most stupidest lawsuit ever. However, good luck taking on Blizzard. They will slaughter you like the Horde :lol
 
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