Activision Blizzard have added another troll to their lineup, this one external and wielding patents. A company called Worlds Inc. has filed a suit against the company alleging that Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and other titles infringe on a patent that Worlds holds that covers a “system and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space.” Or alternatively, any chatroom, MUD, MMO and PC/console game ever made.
Worlds Inc. CEO Thom Kidrin has been quoted as saying:
Technologies created by Worlds have helped the businesses of virtual worlds gaming and the sale of virtual goods to grow into a multi-billion dollar industry. While we are pleased to see that the gaming industry and its rapidly growing customer base have enthusiastically embraced our patented technologies, we deserve fair compensation for their use.”
The company previous took NC Soft to court over City of Heroes in 2008, a case which was eventually settled in 2010 for an undisclosed amount. You can check out Worlds Inc.’s current client list and patent info, the apparent lack of external business on their side may be the driving force behind their litigation activity in recent years.
Sources :
GamesIndustry.biz: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2012-04-06-activision-blizzard-sued-for-patent-infringement-of-virtual-worlds-usage
via GamePolitics: http://gamepolitics.com/2012/04/09/worlds-inc-sues-activision-blizzard-over-virtual-worlds
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