patent
The Weird and Wonderful World of Joystick Patents
The U.S. patent office has issued some cool and strange joystick patents over the years. In this post, we have a look at some of our favorites!
Nike’s Patent for a Video Game System with Biofeedback
In 2024, Nike received a patent for a video game chair that register's a user's biometric data and displays it on screen.
Exploring Nintendo’s 2019 Pokéball Plus Patent
Nintendo’s game controller, shaped like a Pokéball and patented back in 2019, features a button, a vibrator, and an antenna.
Sony Files Patent Application on Patent Buttons That Get Harder or Softer Based on Touch
Sony's international patent application WO2026110304 concerns controller buttons with reactive hardness/softness.
The Beat Don’t Lie: An Overview of Rhythm Game Patents
A survey of some active U.S. patents relating to rhythm video games, including patents by Harmonix and Nintendo.
Nintendo’s 2014 GameBoy Emulation Patent
Nintnedo's patent relates to the emulation of GameBoy games on “low-capability target platform[s].”
Microsoft’s Accessibility-Focused Refreshable Braille Display Controller Patent
Microsoft's patent involves“a refreshable braille display accessory for a game controller” that would allow blind video game players to read on-screen text.
Corsair Receives Japanese Utility Model for “Sensing” Mouse Wheel
Corsair recently was awarded Japanese Utility Model No. 3,251,063, which describes a “sensing roller device” for a mouse that can provide a “virtual bodily sensation" (that is, it seems, tactile feedback like…
Colopl receives Japanese patent on replaying location-based events
Japanese game developer Colopl Inc. has received a Japanese patent, Japanese Pat. No. 7,671,912, directed to a “replay control means” that can “revive” an event for a specific location.
Palmer Luckey’s User-Killing VR Headset: Creepy, but Eligible to be Filed as a Patent Application
Famous VR developer Palmer Luckey recently developed a virtual reality headset rigged with bombs such that, if you lose the game, the headset explodes and kills the user. Per Luckey’s blog: The…
U.S. Patent No. 10,471,357: Systems and methods for simulating a particular user in an interactive computer system
U.S. Patent No. 10,471,357: Systems and methods for simulating a particular user in an interactive computer system Issued: November 12, 2019, to Take Two Interactive Software Inc. Priority Date: April 13, 2005…
U.S. Patent no. 9,492,740: Remote and/or distributed equipping of video game characters
U.S. Patent no. 9,492,740: Remote and/or distributed equipping of video game characters Issued November 15, 2016 to Activision Publishing, Inc. Priority Date June 7, 2012 Summary: U.S. Patent No. 9,492,740 (the ‘740…
U.S. Patent no. 9,498,706: System and method for providing an enhanced research game mechanic
U.S. Patent no. 9,498,706: System and method for providing an enhanced research game mechanic Issued November 22, 2016 to Kabam Inc. (later assigned to Electronic Arts Inc.) Priority Date March 1, 2013…
U.S. Patent no. 9,533,229: Custom reward for viral help in game
U.S. Patent no. 9,533,229: Custom reward for viral help in game Issued January 3, 2017 to Zynga Inc. Priority Date June 29, 2012 Summary: U.S. Patent No. 9,533,229 (the ‘229 Patent) relates…
U.S. Patent no. 9,555,334: System and method for managing virtual worlds mapped to real locations in a mobile-enabled massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG)
U.S. Patent no. 9,555,334: System and method for managing virtual worlds mapped to real locations in a mobile-enabled massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) Issued January 31, 2017 to Qualcomm Inc.…
U.S. Patent no. 9,561,433: Providing event rewards to players in an online game
U.S. Patent no. 9,561,433: Providing event rewards to players in an online game Issued February 7, 2017 to Kabam, Inc. (later assigned to Electronic Arts Inc.) Priority Date August 8, 2013 Summary:…
U.S. Patent no. 9,582,147: Inserting game objects through contactless communication
U.S. Patent no. 9,582,147: Inserting game objects through contactless communication Issued February 28, 2017 to Nintendo Co., Ltd. Priority Date March 7, 2014 Summary: U.S. Patent No. 9,582,147 (the ‘147 Patent) relates…
U.S. Patent no. 9,597,601: Method for displaying chat window applied to network game
U.S. Patent no. 9,597,601: Method for displaying chat window applied to network game Issued March 21, 2017 to Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix Priority Date March 19, 2003 Summary: U.S. Patent No. 9,597,601…
U.S. Patent no. 9,649,568: Game system for changing a difficulty level of a game
U.S. Patent no. 9,649,568: Game system for changing a difficulty level of a game Issued May 16, 2017 to Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix Priority Date May 30, 2012 Summary: U.S. Patent No.…
U.S. Patent no. 9,526,995: Video game recording and playback with visual display of game controller manipulation
U.S. Patent no. 9,526,995: Video game recording and playback with visual display of game controller manipulation Issued December 27, 2016 to Sony Interactive Entertainment America LLC Priority Date November 22, 2006 Summary:…