Most of these are funny, but im proud of blizzard for sueing a farming bot. I've played WoW and mining nodes right in front of me have disappeared before i get to it because a bot scanned the area and collected all the materials. Only to black-market the items for real-world money.

Also i think a ridiculous lawsuit you should add to this list is the lawsuit Guitar Hero put against Blizzard for Blizzard's "April Fool's Joke." They had joked about making a "bard" class that used rock, metal, and punk skills to defeat enemies with the power of music, and to use these abilities they were to pick up the keyboard like a guitar and line up the colored notes and strum, just like Guitar Hero. Not only was this an 11 million dollar lawsuit (from what i've heard and read), which is ridiculous, but there are alot of music games that use that system now. Rock Band for example.

Anyways i agree with all of the lawsuits on this list being ridiculous in their own way, and i agree that this new lawsuit of Turbine V. Atari is also ridiculous, and probably won't make it through.

"#1 Worlds.com vs. NCsoft

The completely unfathomable thing though is that the patent, which was filed in 2000, came well after MMOs like Ultima Online were already on the market and running a very similar system."

Even though i agree that this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard to sue over; I'd have to say that if anyone should hold that patent it should be Sony/Verant Interactive acording to wiki. 

"EverQuest launched with modest expectations from Sony on 16 March 1999 under its Verant Interactive brand and quickly became successful."

Thats quite a bit of time before 2000 and Everquest could easily be called the first true 3-D MMO to have been released.. 

Now, you may not like wiki for different reasons, but that launch date it states does sound right from my memories.. I started playing Everquest very shortly after it went live, and i seemed to remember that being in 1999.

Originally posted by Kevor

"#1 Worlds.com vs. NCsoft

The completely unfathomable thing though is that the patent, which was filed in 2000, came well after MMOs like Ultima Online were already on the market and running a very similar system."

 

Even though i agree that this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard to sue over; I'd have to say that if anyone should hold that patent it should be Sony/Verant Interactive acording to wiki. 

"EverQuest launched with modest expectations from Sony on 16 March 1999 under its Verant Interactive brand and quickly became successful."

Thats quite a bit of time before 2000 and Everquest could easily be called the first true 3-D MMO to have been released.. 

Now, you may not like wiki for different reasons, but that launch date it states does sound right from my memories.. I started playing Everquest very shortly after it went live, and i seemed to remember that being in 1999.

Meridian 59 was the first 3D MMO which first launched December 15, 1995.

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Originally posted by Stradden

If your idea of a good time is to tear the thing apart, then awesome, have at it. These columns are meant to be fun. Other sections of the site are reserved for harder news. This column is, quite obviously and plainly stated, just for kicks.

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Heh, that's one way to deal with critics.
"Oh, it was not ment to be serious and those parts I got totaly wrong... I bet they laughed while reading them so... it's all ok. OK? ... OK?

Done. All sorted. Nothing to see here. Move on people.
These are not facts you are looking for"

Originally posted by Korgana

Originally posted by Kevor

"#1 Worlds.com vs. NCsoft

The completely unfathomable thing though is that the patent, which was filed in 2000, came well after MMOs like Ultima Online were already on the market and running a very similar system."

 

Even though i agree that this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard to sue over; I'd have to say that if anyone should hold that patent it should be Sony/Verant Interactive acording to wiki. 

"EverQuest launched with modest expectations from Sony on 16 March 1999 under its Verant Interactive brand and quickly became successful."

Thats quite a bit of time before 2000 and Everquest could easily be called the first true 3-D MMO to have been released.. 

Now, you may not like wiki for different reasons, but that launch date it states does sound right from my memories.. I started playing Everquest very shortly after it went live, and i seemed to remember that being in 1999.

 

Meridian 59 was the first 3D MMO which first launched December 15, 1995.

Ah, fair enough, I did play that a little, but it did not seem 3-D to me like Everquest was.

But, that still proves the point even more that Worlds.com should not have a case since there were MMOs released before they issued a patent that were 3-D type MMOs..

Well, at least Everquest was one of the first 3-D MMOs.. It was also one of the firsts MMO that required a 3-D graphics card to even run the game.. I remember that very clearly because i had to buy one to play it.  

Oh, and actually, Meridian launched on September 27, 1996, at least according to wiki. 

"More than 25,000 players joined the game's public beta that lasted up until its commercial launch on September 27, 1996, beating its next major rival, Ultima Online, by approximately a year"

But, that was still way before EQ launched..

Originally posted by Kevor

Originally posted by Korgana

Originally posted by Kevor

"#1 Worlds.com vs. NCsoft

The completely unfathomable thing though is that the patent, which was filed in 2000, came well after MMOs like Ultima Online were already on the market and running a very similar system."

 

Even though i agree that this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard to sue over; I'd have to say that if anyone should hold that patent it should be Sony/Verant Interactive acording to wiki. 

"EverQuest launched with modest expectations from Sony on 16 March 1999 under its Verant Interactive brand and quickly became successful."

Thats quite a bit of time before 2000 and Everquest could easily be called the first true 3-D MMO to have been released.. 

Now, you may not like wiki for different reasons, but that launch date it states does sound right from my memories.. I started playing Everquest very shortly after it went live, and i seemed to remember that being in 1999.

 

Meridian 59 was the first 3D MMO which first launched December 15, 1995.

 

Ah, fair enough, I did play that a little, but it did not seem 3-D to me like Everquest was.

But, that still proves the point even more that Worlds.com should not have a case since there were MMOs released before they issued a patent that were 3-D type MMOs..

Well, at least Everquest was one of the first 3-D MMOs.. It was also one of the firsts MMO that required a 3-D graphics card to even run the game.. I remember that very clearly because i had to buy one to play it.  

Oh, and actually, Meridian launched on September 27, 1996, at least according to wiki. 

"More than 25,000 players joined the game's public beta that lasted up until its commercial launch on September 27, 1996, beating its next major rival, Ultima Online, by approximately a year"

But, that was still way before EQ launched..

Well, to quote more from wiki :P

"Meridian 59 is an online computer role-playing game first published by the now defunct 3DO Company and now run by Near Death Studios. First launched online in an early form on December 15, 1995 and released commercially in September 1996 with a flat-rate monthly subscription, Meridian 59 is often credited as the first 3D graphical "massively multiplayer online game" or MMO.

Originally posted by Korgana

Originally posted by Kevor

Originally posted by Korgana

Originally posted by Kevor

"#1 Worlds.com vs. NCsoft

The completely unfathomable thing though is that the patent, which was filed in 2000, came well after MMOs like Ultima Online were already on the market and running a very similar system."

 

Even though i agree that this is the dumbest thing i've ever heard to sue over; I'd have to say that if anyone should hold that patent it should be Sony/Verant Interactive acording to wiki. 

"EverQuest launched with modest expectations from Sony on 16 March 1999 under its Verant Interactive brand and quickly became successful."

Thats quite a bit of time before 2000 and Everquest could easily be called the first true 3-D MMO to have been released.. 

Now, you may not like wiki for different reasons, but that launch date it states does sound right from my memories.. I started playing Everquest very shortly after it went live, and i seemed to remember that being in 1999.

 

Meridian 59 was the first 3D MMO which first launched December 15, 1995.

 

Ah, fair enough, I did play that a little, but it did not seem 3-D to me like Everquest was.

But, that still proves the point even more that Worlds.com should not have a case since there were MMOs released before they issued a patent that were 3-D type MMOs..

Well, at least Everquest was one of the first 3-D MMOs.. It was also one of the firsts MMO that required a 3-D graphics card to even run the game.. I remember that very clearly because i had to buy one to play it.  

Oh, and actually, Meridian launched on September 27, 1996, at least according to wiki. 

"More than 25,000 players joined the game's public beta that lasted up until its commercial launch on September 27, 1996, beating its next major rival, Ultima Online, by approximately a year"

But, that was still way before EQ launched..

 

Well, to quote more from wiki :P

"Meridian 59 is an online computer role-playing game first published by the now defunct 3DO Company and now run by Near Death Studios. First launched online in an early form on December 15, 1995 and released commercially in September 1996 with a flat-rate monthly subscription, Meridian 59 is often credited as the first 3D graphical "massively multiplayer online game" or MMO.

 

But then again that was not a commercial launch either.. The key here could be commercially launched i would think..

That early form could of been a kind of alpha, or beta test as well.. Who knows, but the fact of the matter is, whatever the case, this lawsuit should be dead in the water period..

Please note that NCSuck holds two out of five of these lawsuits-smell a trend here?  I hope so.  The one that RG filed against them is legit-seeing as how they 'fired him' when he was up in space, then continued to right fraudulent letters in his name to the paying customers; in the end he takes the blame for it.  The second lawsuit is full of crap-that would be like me filing a patent on breathing air.

This article is great, and I never knew about these lawsuits; especially Blizzard vs. MMO Glider.

There are so many illegal programs out (private and public)  that affect MMO gameplay. If all the MMO companies were to file a lawsuit against their creators, can you imagine how many people will be left in jail? But that would be at the expense of the companies' bank accounts. Still, this will send a message of warning to all those illegal program writers.

Heh

Budweiser once sued a small mom and pop flower shop for using "This Buds for you" on their store sign. Anything goes these days.. sadly.

Ah ok, I didn't know that Meridian was already 3D (and UO was not, I've a lot of experience with the original UO client ... it is all about gif like picture animations :) ). Of course than the Worlds.com patent is very much in question (and AoP has already rewarded 50.000 Dollar to someone bringing up details to challenge the patent as I saw yesterday: http://www.articleonepartners.com/winnerDetails.php?id=32 .

I'm far from being an expert concerning patents but as far as I know (correct me, if I'm wrong) if someone publishs the same idea or application of this idea publically somewhere than you can't patent that anymore (except maybe you can prove that this person stole the idea from you first hand?). And the application for the Worlds.com patent was in 1995 correct? So Meridian had already published beta information by than?

According to that page the beta started in summer 1995 http://www.giantbomb.com/meridian-59/61-19138/ .

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Originally posted by Dana

It can’t possibly be that ridiculous, could it? COULD IT?

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Have you ever had to pay your bill for FFXI? There are so many late fees and hidden fees it is crazy. Normally you know that the game will cost $14.99 or whatever and you won't ever have to worry about fees, but it really isn't that way with FFXI.

I'm glad they're getting sued over it, I hope it makes them make their fees more transparent. Maybe drop a few of the more ridiculous fees like the $20 account reactivation fee.

Originally posted by Dubhlaith

 

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Originally posted by SWATJester
This article is absolutely rife with factual errors. The list of them has been outlined here: http://www.gameslaw.net/2009/09/01/five-silliest-mmo-lawsuits/
Seriously, there's almost nothing correct about this article.
 Calling Worlds.com a trademark case (it's not), not understanding what a trademark does, not noticing that the Square Enix case is a class action and that $5 million would go to ALL final fantasy XI players, etc. Shoddy work overall, absolutely shoddy.
 

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Are you really surprised? Most of the articles presented on this site are poorly researched, if at all. In addition to the Glider suit being called silly in the title, and then expressly called a good idea in the body, the article is full of contradictions and errors. That is just how they do things here.

Exactly. MMORPG.com is probably one of the most shallow and low-brow gaming sites I've ever read. They're the "amusement park gaming site." Pretty pictures, interviews and the like, but an average IQ of around 85 or so.

Read the first one and stopped - I'm not really sure what point, if any, you're trying to make there.

If Mythic are sharp enough operators to see the sense in trademarking a term like 'RvR' then why shouldn't they - it's just good business. The other lot should have been aware of that - the fact that they weren't demonstrates very poor business acumen on their part.

Kudos for taking a stand for journalistic integrity.

Originally posted by linren

Originally posted by brostyn

Originally posted by linren

Originally posted by brostyn

You're article is entitled "Five Sillies MMO Lawsuits", yet you put Blizzard vs. MMO Glider. You, then, go on to praise Blizzard for doing what you wish other companies would do, and end the paragraph by saying "So, I’m going to say something I don’t normally say: Good job Blizzard. Bravo."

 

Dude?

 

The title said most "memorable" lawsuits, not the most silly.  Author also said that "often" there are humor to be found and not "always".

Plus if you think about it, that lawsuit can be considered humorous in that it is completely fruitless attempt and Blizzard know it.  Even if they win against WoW glider, they cannot stop goldfarmers in WoW much less the entire mmorpg industry.  I do appreciate the fact they went for it, but truthfully the outcome is pretty much the same whether Blizzard win, lose, or settled.

Read the thread before you jump down someone's throat, johnny-come-lately.

 

BTW, I did find the article humourous if not entirely factual. Not sure how you pulled that assumption out of your rear, since I made no comment one way or the other.

 

Re-read the whole thing just like the first time, but I don't see where I am wrong. 

The title reads "Five Memorable MMO Lawsuits", and the foreword was that lawsuits are SOMETIMES silly and the author mentioned it in the article too.  Unless you want to tell me that the author changed his title and foreword before I got here, then it is another issue.  Why can't someone praise Blizzard if the article was based on "Memorable".  Either read the title or tell me something that actually prove any sort of point.  Don't bother using factual errors as an argument, I was not talking about the validity of the article.

Another issue is why are you offended? If I was jumping down your throat then that was really too kind of a reply.  Plus what does the factual information have to do with what I pointed out?  I just pointed out it does NOT read "Five sillies MMO Lawsuits" in the title.

If you are telling me the author edited it after the fact, then let me know, but other wise I did nothing wrong and you simply got angery for some reason.

Don't bother picking at my comments if you are thinking about doing it, opinions can only be argued but serves no purpose.

The title was changed by the author after the article was written he mentions it a few posts above.
 

Originally posted by Ozmodan

Originally posted by Valkyrie

Hm, I was reading the article and read the linked law suit papers for the Worlds.com thingie too - and wanted to comment that obviously the author did not read it himself. The linked material is just a continuation of a patent from 1996 and EQ was released in 1999 - with UO or Meridian not being a 3D mmorpg but a 2D mmorpg such not covered. So if SOE did not previously to 1996 publish anything about them doing a 3D mmorpg the question of the patent being correct or not is the biggest issue and might truly be a stumbling block for the industry ... 

 

Edit: Just saw that Dan rebuked the whole article already here http://www.gameslaw.net/2009/09/01/five-silliest-mmo-lawsuits/ so it's not just this which is factually wrong. Sorry Jon, badly researched. :-/

 

Sorry extremely vague patents like this just do not stand up in court.   There is enough prior history to invalidate it anyways.  Oh and BTW UO was most certainly 3D.

Unfortunately, we won't know anything until middle of next year at the earliest. While I believe that there is likely prior art (because the patent claim covers more than just 3d MMORPG, but also server-client location reporting for each individual, something that actually touches on multiplayer FPS games), that's not the only thing. The patent is also being attacked on other grounds to attempt to invalidate it. I would highly recommend reading Patent Arcade's coverage of the lawsuit; it's something that they've been tracking for a while and are pretty much the leading experts on outside the actual parties.

-edit- Forgot my point though, the point was that while I don't think Worlds is going to prevail, it doesn't make their patent  suit frivolous. They DID get a patent, and so either it was issued in error (which is one of the attacks against it) or it is valid and they DO have the right to demand money for their technology.

Originally posted by SWATJester

Unfortunately, we won't know anything until middle of next year at the earliest. While I believe that there is likely prior art (because the patent claim covers more than just 3d MMORPG, but also server-client location reporting for each individual, something that actually touches on multiplayer FPS games), that's not the only thing. The patent is also being attacked on other grounds to attempt to invalidate it. I would highly recommend reading Patent Arcade's coverage of the lawsuit; it's something that they've been tracking for a while and are pretty much the leading experts on outside the actual parties.

-edit- Forgot my point though, the point was that while I don't think Worlds is going to prevail, it doesn't make their patent  suit frivolous. They DID get a patent, and so either it was issued in error (which is one of the attacks against it) or it is valid and they DO have the right to demand money for their technology.

Patient is for a specific item, not a generic one.  Even if you want to classify it as a specific instead of a general one that should have not been approved, lets take that at face vaule...

Any judge would look at this and ask why they are not sueing ALL MMO makers/publishers SINCE the patentant date, not just NCSoft... where is Blizzard, where is SOE, where is all the other MMO's???  I tell you why, cause the big boys have many big lawyers that will shoot holes into the lawsuit in a heartbeat.  If NC was smart they would talk with the big boys on this and counter sue or ask for their lawyers on this, cause if a judge actually thinks about giving it to worlds then they would have win to use as a spingboard to get to the big boys.

And as for the other NCSoft suit... please that is a joke if ever I saw one.  Failing MMO's just don't unplug one day just for the fun of it.  They know months prior to doing so.  And I do remember a video from Robert on his leaving, and he did not say he was fired, just leaving for other things.  you don't spend 24 mil to go to space then rant about NC not paying the bill (why would they on a failing MMO), then leave the company then sue them for 27 Mil... please, look at the history on that closly... he is just trying to get his "space money" back... and if he does come back, I will say away from that one like any of the ones made by EQ/Vanguard creator...

hmmm, maybe I should patent air, and make everyone pay me for breathing...  

I can't get in a twist over what huge corporations do to other huge corporations.

I would like to hear if any game player ever sued the game because once in the game you find that everyone is using 3rd party applications to allow their toon to MACRO day and night gaining levels over night that a player not using that ability would take a month to gain.

Why wouldent they stop it?

Sort of, the case was called Hernandez v. IGE. It ended in a settlement. Basically a player sued a company that farms gold and powerlevels in WoW as a class action on behalf of 2 million other WoW players, because gold farming bots were "diminishing his player experience". There are a number of legal causes of action that touch on this, but it is unclear whether or not he would have won had the case actually gone to trial.

As for suing the GAME itself, no. They're under no legal obligation to provide you with a "fair" environment. But, the argument that Hernandez used was that, if there is a contract between you and the game developer (like an MMORPG having a EULA or ToS), you can enforce that contract upon any third-party beneficiaries of that contract; in this case being the Macro Bots. So that argument says "I can sue you for being part of this contract because you play the game too, and because you aren't following the rules for yourself". Then you can ALSO sue them for tortious infringement of a business relationship (the exact name varies from state to state) which basically says "I can sue you for interfering with any contract that I personally have with Blizzard". Would they win? I don't know. But they scared IGE enough to settle, including an agreement for 5 years not to sell property in WoW.  For a multi-million dollar company that is a big deal.