Blizzard targeted in MMO patent dispute

By Oli Welsh Published 12 March, 2009

WOW and Second Life next if NCsoft loses.

Confirming our suspicions, Worlds.com has revealed that it intends to sue Blizzard and Linden Labs if its patent suit against NCsoft is successful.

Worlds.com has a patent that describes virtually any 3D MMO or virtual world, and dates back to the mid-1990s. It selected NCsoft as its first target for a lawsuit, but Worlds.com chief Thom Kidrin told the Silicon Alley Insider that he would "absolutely" pursue cases against World of Warcraft and Second Life, and any MMO operator that's not prepared to pay licensing fees.

NCsoft has likely been selected as the first target due to its US office in Austin, Texas - where as a foreign defendant in an intellectual property case, it will be at a distinct disadvantage. Even if Worlds.com is successful and has precedent, it may have a tougher time on Linden and Blizzard's Californian home turf.

Kidrin explained the origin of the patent: Starbirght World, a Steven Spielberg-backed charity initiative providing an online social network for seriously ill children. Starbright patents then passed from the original creators to Worlds.com.

Sick kids and Steven Spielberg surely adds up to the ultimate smokescreen for any opportunistic lawsuit. We'll keep an eye on further developments.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (40) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • kestral #1 3 years ago

    MUDs are prior art surely. Besides aren't patents only enforcable if they're protected - waiting years to sure people doesn't sound like protecting to me.
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/09 @ 10:53

  • ZuluHero #2 3 years ago

    there isn't any money in MUDs though is there? ;)

  • levitate #3 3 years ago

    This is stupid. I really hope they won't get away with it.

  • Triggerhappytel #4 3 years ago

    US patent law sounds so fucking stupid. Why aren't these things sorted before the potential infringement happens, and is there no body which determines when a patent is being infringed?!

    "It selected NCsoft as its first target for a lawsuit"

    Because it knew taking on Blizzard straight away would be a fast track to bankruptcy.

  • Toothball #5 3 years ago

    Never thought I'd say this, but I'm backing Blizzard on this one.

  • kestral #6 3 years ago

    Actiblizz will just buy up worlds.com then shut it down. Cheaper option.
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/09 @ 11:06

  • JahB #7 3 years ago

    Actiblizz will just buy up worlds.com then shut it down. Cheaper option.

    or drag out the legal battle until worlds.com is bankrupt. out of the many ideas in the world, taking on Actiblizz's legal department is probably not one of the brightest
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/09 @ 11:14

  • Rash' #8 3 years ago

    there needs to be a serious rethink to how patents are governed. it seems the reported cases of "infringement" are increasing on a yearly basis. this patent sounds like world.com have a monopoly on MMOs, which frankly would be a crime against creativity.

  • DFawkes #9 3 years ago

    If you're going to sue, at least sue so far out of your league you can guarantee failure. In fact, why not make a statement during a legal dispute with a smaller company first, so the mega-company might get plenty of time to prepare a great case that is undefeatable. Oh, and make sure you make it over a painfully vague patent you forgot to sue about for years.

    Done all that? Then

    Achievement Unlocked - 10GS Hyper Moron Mega Facepalm Obliteration - Caused a facepalm so huge in magnitude several people slapped their own faces into paste.

  • kestral #10 3 years ago

    or drag out the legal battle until worlds.com is bankrupt. out of the many ideas in the world, taking on Actiblizz's legal department is probably not one of the brihtest

    Ah yea but if Actiblizz owns the patents they can sue all competing MMo's out of the market :D
    Edited by 2 at 12/03/09 @ 11:26

  • sneetch #11 3 years ago

    Hmmm, why do I keep imagining Activision-Blizzards legal department as the meeting room on the Death Star.

    "This legal department is now the ultimate power in the universe. I suggest we use it."

  • anomagnus #12 3 years ago

    i dont know if any of you read wow insider, but they point out, that the first mention of a cyber world is an 1982 novel by William Gibson.

    I am expecting such a total failure for worlds.com, that it will live on in legend for years to come.

  • Kazzahdrane #13 3 years ago

    Settling out of court must be the primary objective of worlds.com's lawsuit - they're taking on huge companies with a stupid waste of time, and hoping that they will just offer them a few $k/M to go away and stop being dicks.

    Really hope they don't get a penny and are made to pay NCSoft's court fees though, since this is just so clearly taking advantage of the system.

  • IneptPercy #14 3 years ago

    It should be a case of if there is an infringement why didn't they do anything about it sooner? You shouldn't be aloud to wait until something is worth millions/billions before saying ' hey that's mine'

  • MyPointIs #15 3 years ago

    I really do hope Actiblizz acts smart, and lends NCsoft a hand before it's too late.

  • sneetch #16 3 years ago

    I'm no lawyer but I think kestral is right and MUDs are prior art although they might try to argue that their patent is specifically for 3D worlds. Doom, Quake and just about any other server-based multi-player games that have ever existed are also prior art. Hell, even email and IRC have many of the features they've tried to patent.

    Also, how does this date to the mid 90's when the filing date on the patent is Aug 3, 2000? If I were in charge of the Death Star... erm... Blizzards legal department I'd help make sure NCSoft win.

    I eagerly await the news that worlds.com has been destroyed. When it happens I will give in to that dark part of my soul and laugh and point and revel in their doom.

    Dooooooom!

  • sneetch #17 3 years ago

    @anomagnus
    the first mention of a cyber world is an 1982 novel by William Gibson.

    I love you William Gibson! Neal Stephenson's excellent Snow Crash also pre-dates it (1992) and also has a hugely detailed virtual world, the Metaverse.

    And let's not forget holodecks.

    I'm hoping there is a plan in place here and they're letting worlds.com get good and committed to this case, sink all their money into it and then kerPOW!

    Dooooooooom! XD

    Edit: Jebus! I can't spll!
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/09 @ 12:16

  • MyPointIs #18 3 years ago

    What do you call 100 dead lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?

    "A good start!"

    It's old, but I never get tired of it ;-)

  • VicViper #19 3 years ago

    Though I find it hard to beleive that NCsoft could lose the fact that they will have to fork out legal fees to fight this idiocity is very annoying.

  • MyPointIs #20 3 years ago

    How can a company called WORLDS DOT COM be claiming any intellectual property? If they had ANY imagination, surely they would've come up with a better name!

  • Sanxo #21 3 years ago

    It's not so clear that there is prior art. MUDs do not count since the patent specifically describes a 3D virtual multiperson interactive environment which are common-place now but not when the patent was filed (1990 or so).

    The patent is defendable, particularly in Texas and once there is a precedent, it becomes easier to go after bigger fish. Getting bought out is possible, but if worlds.com is a private company they don't have to sell and may consider that they would get more cash going after Turbine, Sony etc than selling out to Blizz.


  • Entity #22 3 years ago

    What a cunt!

  • lambtron #23 3 years ago

    In a world full of stupid, ugly things, patent law has to be one of the stupidest AND ugliest.

  • Slamhound #24 3 years ago

    I'll go with the comment that the person who put this news my way (On a MUD, ironically) used.

    "That's like a bully beating up a teenager with a lead pipe (NCSoft) and then trying to do the same against an M3A3 Bradley Light Tank."

    Yeah.

  • 4thVariety #25 3 years ago

    The patent claims as an invention that computers only receive information about the parts of the virtual world the avatar can see. Which is bonkers, since no client can know as much as the server to begin with. How would a network work if all clients were omniscient at all times?

    The patent suggest that usually servers ALWAYS send ALL their data to ALL the clients. If you are willing to entertain that stupid notion, then it would really be an invention NOT to send everything to every client. But since the default state of any server client structure is to do NOTHING except something specific is requested, the patent does not apply to anything.

    I suggest you read the patents and then search for info on worlds.com. It's a one man operation (.com bubble scheme)!

  • Eraysor #26 3 years ago

    I hope this lawsuit crashes and burns. Greedy bastards.

  • paulf #27 3 years ago

    send in the lich king ! he'll sort em out

  • JahB #28 3 years ago

    Ah yea but if Actiblizz owns the patents they can sue all competing MMo's out of the market :D

    that's an idea too good for a regular person. admit it, you're a lawyer, aren't you?

  • kestral #29 3 years ago

    no just bored

  • Spekingur #30 3 years ago

    What's next? Some long lost generic non-specific patent on bottled cola drinks?

    Funny though, they tried (and are probably still trying) passing a bill in the EU regarding patents to make it similar to the US. As well as some knee-crunching legislation against downloading. Tried hiding it within a bill regarding agriculture or something - this is a few years back. Someone was "obviously" bought out (bribed) by the appropiate money-hungry lobbyists.

  • TsunamiRR #31 3 years ago

    Leaches... I hope they dont get away with it.

  • Golgo #32 3 years ago

    Cunts

  • Marshall2008 #33 3 years ago

    Worlds.com looks terrible. I suppose if they are unable to innovate and obviously have no design skill whatsoever then the only way they could possibly make any money is to sue the actual creative companies.

    Losers.
    Edited by 1 at 12/03/09 @ 14:03

  • penhalion #34 3 years ago

    Didn't I say that if Blizzard and others simply stood back and did nothing, they would be in for a world of hurt.

    This industry and the states in particular, really need to sort out their patent laws. I recon 90% of all patents are of no actual value what so ever. Yet the states coughs them out like a sick man coughing out germs.

  • Slipstream #35 3 years ago

    Should've started with Jagex, that would've been funny xD

  • Moz #36 3 years ago

    surely at this stage blizzard should step in to backup NCSoft and force Worlds.com to take them both on at once.

  • Kyle #37 3 years ago

    This is disgusting.

  • Sunyavadin #38 3 years ago

    A certain Buzzcocks episode comes to mind. When Donny Tourette attempted to take the piss out of Bill Bailey.

    "Let me explain to you Donny - Bill is a professional comedian - YOU WON'T WIN"

    Someone needs to explain this concept to Worlds.com - Blizzard have MORE MONEY THAN GOD - You can't take them on.
    Blizzard could hire someone to kill every employee of worlds.com while they sleep, THEN pay off the cops to never prove it was them, while SIMULTANEOUSLY bribing judges to rule that worlds.com in fact belongs to Blizzard - all without making the slightest dent on their cashflow.

  • cw- #39 3 years ago

    But the 6.4% drop in their share value will :p

  • Sycopat #40 3 years ago

    Pretty sure the suit can fail due to the patent not being defended for so long.
    I know that applies to copyright, would be suprised if something similar didn't apply to patents...