Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

[Shawn Zipay]

Christmas Eve found Worlds.com, a "pioneer" in 3D virtual communities, filing a lawsuit against NCsoft for patent infringement. The suit claims that the company has infringed on a patent for virtual worlds and MMO that Worlds.com filed back in 2000.

Specifically, the suit claims that NCsoft has infringed on patent 7,181,690, "System and Method for Enabling Users to Interact in a Virtual Space" through its games, including City of Heroes, City of Villains, Dungeon Runners, Exteel, Guild Wars, Lineage, Lineage II, and Tablula Rasa.

The suit seeks to ensure that NCsoft will not infringe on another patent the company holds. The patent, number 6,219,045, is for a "Scalable Virtual World Chat Client-Server System". Beyond this, Worlds.com is seeking damages from NCsoft.

According to Kotaku, this may only be the beginning. If this lawsuit is ruled in the favor of Worlds.com, most every other MMO out there could come under fire.

Their patent pretty much covers every instance where users with avatars interact in a virtual space. From Second Life to World of Warcraft, PlayStation Home to Anarchy Online; everything massively online and multiplayer falls under this patent.

This will certainly be one to keep your eyes on if you enjoy any MMO type experience in the slightest.

Source (via Kotaku)

[CaptainKirk]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

This will never hold up in court.

[Cmac[XI]]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

Its their patent you may just find it does, It depends in what way its violated tbh but it wouldn't surprise me if world.com does win this

[CaptainKirk]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

This is textbook independent discovery. Unless the code is completely jacked, this is just a gold-digging ploy. They are just pissed that someone else made MMO's work when they couldn't.

[MrKLM]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

If im reading this right Everquest predated all of this but it might not use the same technology and either way they are all still very similar in the basic setup.

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

This will never hold up in court.

I tend to agree.

"Scalable Virtual World Chat Client-Server System"...pretty much covers every instance where users with avatars interact in a virtual space. From Second Life to World of Warcraft, PlayStation Home to Anarchy Online; everything massively online and multiplayer falls under this patent. - I think this is just too sweeping, too widely based. It's similar to one company trying to patent first-person-shooters as a whole.

If we're talking about blatantly ripping off a unique feature, or names, or graphic avatars, etc, then that's different, and worth a lawsuit, but I can't see such a broad action as described above being successful.

[MrKLM]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

If we're talking about blatantly ripping off a unique feature, or names, or graphic avatars, etc, then that's different, and worth a lawsuit, but I can't see such a broad action as described above being successful.

Anyone remember this bit of news back in June about Limbo of The Lost. Now that was clear cut rippoffery. :shakehead:

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Lawsuit Filed Against NCsoft, Other MMO's Targeted

^ Yep, that's one of the ones I was thinking of. This was the other one I remember reading about.