NCsoft Hit with Patent Infringement Suit

[Emabulator]

Gamasutra is reporting (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=21681) virtual world company Worlds.com filed a patent infringement lawsuit against NCsoft. They claim infringement on a patent held for "System and Method for Enabling Users to Interact in a Virtual Space". Several of NCsoft's online games are named in the suit.

Earlier this month, Worlds.com, which launched in 1994, referenced its holding of patents for two technologies common in virtual worlds and MMOs: scalable chat and user interaction in a virtual space.

As MMO site Massively reported at the time (http://www.massively.com/2008/12/12/patents-threaten-virtual-worlds-mmogs/), this theoretically gives Worlds.com enforcement power over just about any online game that lets users talk and interact in a game world -- and the ability to collect financial damages.

Massively's report noted that Worlds.com's interaction patent was filed in 2000 (http://www.google.com/patents?id=wv5-AAAAEBAJ&dq=7,181,690) -- after the launch of other games such as Habitat or Ultima Online, which appear to include some reasonably similar features.Notice how they went after NCsoft first and not a company like Blizzard who has much deeper pockets.

[Meusli]

Are they are hopeing for a quick settlement so they can use it for other cases? Any how this is ridiculous as I can not see how any other method of talk could be implemented so its a common sense invention. How will this fair with MSN and Yahoo chat?

[kwolf]

This will go nowhere. Everquest launched a year and 5 months before this patent was even filed. Guess the patent examiner didn't bother to look at one of the largest 3D MMOG's in history as prior art.

[lost]

It would appear most patent examiners can't google.

They also have no common sense.

[DanAmerson]

This will go nowhere. Everquest launched a year and 5 months before this patent was even filed. Guess the patent examiner didn't bother to look at one of the largest 3D MMOG's in history as prior art.

It's not necessarily 100% dead in the water. I made a similar argument citing UO, and a co-worker noted that it's a continuation of this patent from 1996.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=BYoGAAAAEBAJ&dq=6219045

dba

[blackzc]

Scumbags. Just let it go and make a (virtual game space) that people want to use.

I DLed the worlds client, the the main hub had about 12 people meandering about, meteor planet was dead as was the dancing club. With all the talent around here i say this board could do a better job and should make a EA world so we can walk around in. I actually think that would be cool. We could like walk to thread instead of clicking on them and. All the PC is dead fights could be played out in real time 3D GRAPHICS! Airplane banner ads would be cool. Dont agree with someone...yeah bitch click the sudden death button we will see who right!!...POOF! Instant load to Quake 3 deathmatch first one to 10 wins.

All BS aside once they are able to integrate all this stuff into ebay, myspace, ect it really could be cool and i could see myself wasting alot of time in them. But this like second life runs like ass and doesn't do much.

[Amzin]

Yet another example of why patents need to be pulled back a bit. Things are getting stupider every day -_-

[kwolf]

It's not necessarily 100% dead in the water ...
It's definitely going to be interesting. I picked EQ over UO because (in my mind anyway) UO is 2D not 3D. I recall when that previous patent was granted and figured the lawsuits would fly, but nothing ever came of it. I'm not sure why they decided to sue under the second patent and not the first. Perhaps something is flawed in the first that they resolved in the second or it could just be that now there is enough money in it to make it interesting.

Also, they will need to make the argument that their software is a transformation under Bilski (http://www.patentlyo.com/patent/2008/10/in-re-bilski.html). Transformation of a computer system into a virtual world seems plausible to me.

[greenapple]

It's not necessarily 100% dead in the water. I made a similar argument citing UO, and a co-worker noted that it's a continuation of this patent from 1996.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=BYoGAAAAEBAJ&dq=6219045

dba

Seriously. Gamasutra either needs to get someone who knows the basics of patents or else leave off on technical commentary like the filing date. The priority date is what matters for determining whether the claims are novel and nonobvious over the prior art.

Even worse, they simply follow the usual gaming journalistic standard of circle-jerking Massively's report without checking it themselves.

[kickmybum]

Notice how they went after NCsoft first and not a company like Blizzard who has much deeper pockets.

I assure you that NCSoft's pockets are plenty deep. Lineage 2 is still the second most popular MMO around and NCSoft has their hand in at least 6 others.

If they really wanted to win this case, they should have gone after someone with ridiculously empty pockets like Artifact Entertainment or something. NCSoft is really no different than Blizzard.

[Johan]

Any how this is ridiculous as I can not see how any other method of talk could be implemented so its a common sense invention.

Is your sentence above in English? :confused: I suppose it is. I got it after reading it several times, putting a few words back together, and adding an apostrophe to a contraction. :(

[MADxMrMike]

Greed never ceases to amaze me...

Anyway Worlds may have a leg to stand on against programs like Home were all you do is interact socially with other avatars. As for games it may be a little harder for them to use their patent against NCsoft or Blizzard. MMOs do use some form of txt chat and 3D avatars but the games themselves are not designed from the ground up with communication in mind. Sure MMOs without chat would be pretty crappy but again its not what these programs are specifically designed for. Home on the other hand is. You have 3D avatars who are designed to do nothing but communicate with other avatars. This is just my opinion though. Who knows this could change the face of MMOs everywhere, but I doubt it.

[blackzc]

Is your sentence above in English? :confused: I suppose it is. I got it after reading it several times, putting a few words back together, and adding an apostrophe to a contraction. :(

Haha I got it no problem but i ramble on to so..

[Chaos Machine]

this is such bullshit and is a prime example of why our patent system is fundamentally broken

[greenapple]

this is such bullshit and is a prime example of why our patent system is fundamentally broken

How is it a prime example when you don't know whether they'll suceed in their suit or not?

If it turns out that they lose, won't it be a prime example of how the system is working?

[riposte101]

I hope this stupid lawsuit gets thrown out.

[Furious Wang]

This is so ridiculous! Before we know it, companies will be patenting colors and seeds!

[Exodus]

I hope the idea of making money as a measurement of success and one of life's goals is thrown out eventually. Seriously we're turning into ferrengi. is that how you spell it?

[lost]

Huuuuuge ears!

That is all.