"Bad patents like this cast a massive shadow on the industry."

According to videogame patent lawyer Kirk Sigmon, the USPTO granting Nintendo these latest patents isn’t just a moment of questionable legal theory. It’s an indictment of American patent law.

“Broadly, I don’t disagree with the many online complaints about these Nintendo patents,” said Sigmon, whose opinions do not represent those of his firm and clients. “They have been an embarrassing failure of the US patent system.”

    • JackbyDev@programming.devEnglish
      10·
      6 hours ago

      What’s frustrating is that the thing that is arguably questionable (the art of some of the characters) isn’t what is the subject of anything. Nope. Ball throwing.

      • JcbAzPx@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        5 hours ago

        That’s because copyright and trademark are more specific than patents. You have to use the exact look to be in violation. Patents are more of a vibes protection. You can sue for close enough.

    • NocturnalMorning@lemmy.worldEnglish
      2·
      12 hours ago

      Why? Anybody who’s played it knows it only has a passing resemblance to Pokémon. Once you play the game, you realize how different it is in its mechanics and story from pokemon.

      Nintendo doesn’t own the idea of monster taming. The idea predates their company by quite a bit actually.