Posts
News: Speculation regarding Atari’s future
CNN is running a story with some interesting speculation regarding the future of gamemaker Atari.
Case: Midway v. Omni (1st Cir. 1981) [C]
Midway Manufacturing Co. v. Omni Video Games, Inc. 668 F.2d 70 (1st Cir. 1981) Midway, the creator of the games Pac-Man, Rally-X, and Galaxian, sued Omni for copyright infringement of these games.…
Update: Davidson & Associates v. Internet Gateway
The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis will hear arguments at 9 a.m. today in this case that may decide how the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, applies to…
Ponderous: In-game virtual property
Ok, so I’ve started a new category, dubbed “Ponderous,” to indicate posts that are neither a Case summary, case Update, or News. Ponderous posts represent interesting legal topics of discussion that we…
Feature: Patent Arcade Comic
Thanks to Erin Mehlos, of Gamasutra.com, who drew the single frame comic at right. Thecomic is (c) 2005 Gamasutra.com
News: Feedback to our Video Game Patent article
Gamasutra has posted the responses to their Question of the Week, which they posed in conjunction with our article “It’s Just A Game Right? Top Mythconceptions On Patent Protection Of Video Games.”…
News: Death over MMO In-game property – Gamer gets life sentence
A chinese gamer who killed a fellow gamer, in real life, over a virtual item from the game has been sentenced to life in prison, with the possibilty of parole in 15…
News: Pandora’s Cube employees plead guilty in Xbod mod case
As you may recall, the Department of Justice coordinated a raid in early December, 2004, on three Pandora’s Cube stores in the Washington, DC, suburbs where the stores were selling — in…
Case: Ahn v. Midway (N.D. Ill 1997) [C]
Ahn et al. v. Midway Mfg Co. et al. 965 F.Supp 1134 (N.D. Ill 1997) (Order on Motion for Summary Judgment) I always look forward to reading a video game case that…
Article: Patenting of Video Games
Gamasutra.com is presently running an article which Steve Chang and I wrote as their feature article: *** Today’s feature, subtitled ‘Top Mythconceptions on Patent Protection of Video Games’ and from IP lawyers…
News: Tecmo Settles Nude Patch Lawsuit
Japanese publisher and developer Tecmo has settled its lawsuit against fan website Ninjahacker.net, after more than four months of legal action. The lawsuit began after Tecmo accused the site’s operators of creating…
Case: Accolade v. Distinctive (N.D.Cal. 1990) [C]
Accolade, Inc. v. Distinctive Software, Inc. 1990 WL 180239 (N.D.Cal. 1990) Accolade was seeking a preliminary injunction again Distinctive Software, which makes this case intriguing because Distinctive is a developer for whom…
News: Video game developers and actors want more money
A couple posts on the Workplace Blog highlight the allegation that video game programmers often work insane hours without getting properly paid for them, and union actors want a piece of the…
Case: Alpex v. Nintendo (Fed. Cir. 1996) [P]
Alpex Computer Corp. v. Nintendo Co. 102 F.3d 1214 (Fed. Cir. 1996) I. Background In the mid-1970’s, Alpex Computer Corporation developed and patented a new home video game system technology using removable,…
Case: Midway v. Dirkschneider (D.Neb. 1983) [C] – Dirkschneider II
Midway Mfg. Co. v. Dirkschneider et al. 571 F.Supp 282 (D.Neb. 1983) (“Dirkschneider II”) In this follow up to Dirkschneider I, the court grants summary judgment to Midway with respect to Midway’s…
Case: Midway v. Dirkschneider (D.Neb. 1981) [C] – Dirkschneider I
Midway Mfg. Co., v. Dirkschneider et al. 543 F. Supp 466 (D. Neb. 1981) In one of the earliest decisions in a video game infringement case, the court issues a preliminary injunction…
New Look for the Patent Arcade
We’re experiementing with new web site templates, so please bear with us as we undergo renovations…
Update: Home Gambling Network v. Piche et al. (P) [D.Nev.] NEW CASE
Home Gambling Network et al. v. Piche et al., CV-S-05-0610-KJD-LRL (D.Nev, filed May 16, 2005) On May 14, 2012, A federal judge in Nevada on May 14 reversed a magistrate judge’s recommendation…
News: B.A. in Mortal Combat? It’s about time!
In what is being compared to the first filmmaking schools of the ’30s and ’40s, the University of Denver Department of Computer Science is offering four new degree programs: Bachelor of Arts…
Update: Konami v. Roxor Games (P) [E.D.Tex]
Konami Corporation v. Roxor Games Inc., 2-05CV-173 (E.D.Tex), filed May 9, 2005. Konami Corporation has filed a lawsuit against Roxor Games, Inc., in the Federal District Court for the Eastern District of…