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Nintendo sues Japanese mobile game company Colopl for $40m

Atheerios

Atheerios

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,095


We have seen other companies suing Nintendo multiple times. Now it's their turn.

Edit: here's a video of the infringing game. The implementation of the virtual joystick is actually pretty neat.



The thing is the company seems to have made a big fuss about how they invented that virtual joystick, which in turn made Nintendo angry.

applism_1515567169_39101-1.jpg


A drawing from Nintendo's patent:

applism_1515567169_4901.gif
 
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TheMisterManGuy

TheMisterManGuy

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,766
I find the reasoning to be very strange. I thought Virrtual Joysticks was standard on many mobile games. Why would Nintendo patent that?
 
massoluk

massoluk

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,573
Thailand
TheMisterManGuy said:
I find the reasoning to be very strange. I thought Virrtual Joysticks was standard on many mobile games. Why would Nintendo patent that?
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Well SM64 DS is a Nintendo DS launch title. Nintendo DS launched before the first iphone

We're talking about the time when pinch to zoom was one of the highlights of Apple conference, folks.
 
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Outtrigger888

Outtrigger888

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,304
If it's virtual is it even real? Can't a company just say no that's actually a virtual pulley rod not a joystick.
 
Mark H

Mark H

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Oct 27, 2017
1,679
guYoshi said:
Rayman DS did the same thing at the same time though, it would be a bit fishy to give a patent to Nintendo for it then.
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Quick google search gives me Rayman DS release was in March 2005 while Mario 64 DS was in November 2004.
Maybe Nintendo provided the necessary API to do the touch based joystick on DS?
 
Yoshi

Yoshi

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,055
Germany
Mark H said:
Quick google search gives me Rayman DS release was in March 2005 while Mario 64 DS was in November 2004.
Maybe Nintendo provided the necessary API to do the touch based joystick on DS?
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Ah, sorry, both were launch titles here (in Europe), but I forgot to check whether they were internationally, as well.
 
CloakBass

CloakBass

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Dec 10, 2017
174
I'm curious about the nitty-gritty of the lawsuit because this is a really common feature of touchscreen games. I can't imagine very many of them licensed the idea from Nintendo.
 

NyxKiria

Self-Requested Permanent Ban
Banned
Dec 15, 2017
613
Is this cause they use a special kind of virtual joystick where you can move and attack with 1 hand like in White Cat Project?
 
Aztorian

Aztorian

Member
Jan 3, 2018
1,456
What? The touch-joystick that works like shit is patented? By Nintendo? World is full of surprises.
 
PachaelD

PachaelD

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,501
Also grabbed quotes from the MC thread, where I also posted this.

Aztorian said:
What? The touch-joystick that works like shit is patented? By Nintendo? World is full of surprises.
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Oregano said:
Considering Nintendo hasn't sued just about everyone there must be something more specific about it, but from the outside looking in this seems a little short sighted.
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Sandfox said:
If anything I would say Colopl potentially stealing from Nintendo is what's burning the bridge.
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casiopao said:
There are many other succesful mobile company. There is no need to please others who break your patent.
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If it's just about the virtual joystick for character movement which is commonly used in smartphone games these days then it's probably something that does need to be tested in court since the sides are probably arguing over how the virtual joystick patent was provided and used. (stylus/thumb tool/thumb, handheld versus smartphone, visibility of button etc)

Assuming that the case succeeds, Nintendo could use it as precedent from other developers to license the patent for royalties or cross-patent or cross-development agreements. e.g. Azur Lane (Yostar), Lineage II (netmarble), Honor of Kings/Arena of Valour (Tencent, though maybe the Switch port deal might have included the license)

Regardless, Nintendo do have lots of other up and coming mobile developers to choose from. I think it's just that any negotiations with colopl on any of that kind have broken down. Maybe Akatsuki or klab have openings...
 
GooZ

GooZ

One Winged Slayer
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Oct 25, 2017
1,718
Colopl used the punicon touch features in majority of their games, including their shovelware mobages. Quite interesting to see how Colopl future games will be if the lawsuit is successful for Nintendo.
 
casiopao

casiopao

Banned
Oct 28, 2017
5,044
PachaelD said:
Also grabbed quotes from the MC thread, where I also posted this.









If it's just about the virtual joystick for character movement which is commonly used in smartphone games these days then it's probably something that does need to be tested in court since the sides are probably arguing over how the virtual joystick patent was provided and used. (stylus/thumb tool/thumb, handheld versus smartphone, visibility of button etc)

Assuming that the case succeeds, Nintendo could use it as precedent from other developers to license the patent for royalties or cross-patent or cross-development agreements. e.g. Azur Lane (Yostar), Lineage II (netmarble), Honor of Kings/Arena of Valour (Tencent, though maybe the Switch port deal might have included the license)

Regardless, Nintendo do have lots of other up and coming mobile developers to choose from. I think it's just that any negotiations with colopl on any of that kind have broken down. Maybe Akatsuki or klab have openings...
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I mean, if we are talking about successful mobile game devs,

4samurai
DeNa
Wright Flyer
Pokelabo
DMM
Cygames

And that is only scratching the surface for many mobile company possible to partner with Ninty.
 
chrisPjelly

chrisPjelly

Avenger
Oct 29, 2017
10,491
Ehhh, that's a stupidly broad patent. Did Nintendo's lawyer's want to flex their muscles or something?
 
Dyle

Dyle

One Winged Slayer
The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
29,873
I was not a fan at all of the touch control in Mario 64DS and played with the dpad, so clearly Nintendo is in the wrong here. There must be something very specific about their use of the stick to give this case merit, given how common virtual sticks are in other games, and the fact this game first released years ago.
 
Chrono

Chrono

Teyvat Traveler
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Oct 25, 2017
21,021
Man I miss this game, shame Colopl US had to shut it down but then, with these lawsuits, I'm not sure how much longer the game has. I wonder what took Nintendo so long, this game has been around for a while now.
 
Cantaim

Cantaim

Member
Oct 25, 2017
33,278
The Stussining
Huh did not know Nintendo had a patent on that. Guess that explains why more companies didn't use the same set up. Always thought it was weird not many people used it lol.
 
Ploid 6.0

Ploid 6.0

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,439
Do not get into a fight with nintendo on who invented what first. What fans of the other are not happy? Hmm, anyway the phone industry seems so full of minefields when it comes to patents I wonder how people keep track of all that stuff when designing games or tech.
 
Plankton2

Plankton2

Member
Dec 12, 2017
2,670
Gonna need way more information on what exactly the patents are, before making any judgement.
 
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