Nintendo Wins Appeal Over Motion Controller

[GodKlown]

From the article, it isn't clear what they are saying that Microsoft or Nintendo did to cause the lawsuit. If you just throw out a blanket complaint that they are using patented ideas and going after two of the bigger video game system makers seemed like kind of a dick move. I have never heard of the plantiff company before, so that should say something. Either way, MS was stupid not to fight it considering they've got just as much money if not more than Nintendo... I guess they were worried they'd end up on the losing side of the fight.

 

[Arcane Azmadi]

For great justice!

 

[DefunctTheory]

This is as bad as when apple patented the 'edge to edge' touch pad. It's just utter garbage.

EDIT: I'm guessing Microsoft settled to stop press. People tend to rally around Nintendo (Or ignore it if they are not gamers), while the general populous seems to think Microsoft should lose everything simply because they have the most bloated wallet on earth.

 

[Space Jawa]

It's a fairly common tactic nowadays: Someone will buy a patent and go after a company that's created something using whatever the patent covers. As court costs can be huge (generally in the millions), more often than not, they'll throw money at the plaintiff to make the problem go away: a payoff is usually cheaper than a court date.

It's a pretty dirty trick.

Makes me wonder why more people sued that way don't file countersuits that would force the suit-bringer to pay all the court costs if they lost. Granted, I don't know much about how the law works in that regard, so it may not even be a legal tactic, but it would seem that more people might actually fight the stupid lawsuits, and in turn discourage people from filing them, if their ability to win brought with it the ability to get back the cost of fighting off the suit.

While we're at it, I don't think trial lawyers should get payment even one penny higher than what their clients receive. Might also do something to fight off stupid lawsuits.

 

[Rect Pola]

I always had a problem with the incredible vagueness they put in technology patents (or patent language in general). And moreso the ability to buy patents.

 

[Quaidis]

Well that is good. Is there any official mention of when Wavebirds will come back to the stores? Or has Nintendo given up on making them completely by now?

 

[RollForInitiative]

Why hand out patents that won't be enforced in the first place, I wonder?

 

[chaosd1]

"Why would Microsoft settle, and Nintendo fight?"

Simple answer really. Since Microsoft is a U.S. Company, seen as a monopoly, with a marketshare in more than just videogames, with a CEO who makes enough in a single day to purchase an island, they're used to the american way of business. Toss around enough money and you can get anyone to shut up. Microsoft is already seen as an evil corporation by many, and go through this kind of thing constantly. The less bad press for them the better.

Nintendo has been around forever. Games are their livelihood. As stated by Zombie711 they are the "Disney of video games". They have a deep, multinational following rich in nostalgia. And they know BS when they see it. I am VERY glad Nintendo won this because it shows one thing. When it comes to business, you don't fuck with the Japanese. (Notice how they didn't even try to go after Sony?)

Makes me remember that whole issue about another patent squatter going after World of Warcraft for stake in their "interactive social environment in a simulated 3D world" technology...