Indeed. The sources I’ve read seem to lay blame with games not usually patenting mechanics (which apparently is all patent officers look at for prior art, not other games), meaning it needs active challenging to be thrown out.

PocketPair is based in Japan, which is where the previous, more directly problematic patents have been filed mid-litigation. While there is clearly prior art for the US patent, it isn’t quite as comically broad as the Japan ones, and since Japan doesn’t seem to care about prior art, those remain the most concerning to me.

In the US, yes. In Japan, it would appear such a concept does not exist.

I found one for NieR: Automata at a used bookstore that has maps, a ton of concept art, and a short story.

Your intro does not make it clear - is it not all bad?? Why claim “propaganda” just because the US does it too? Fair enough if you want to spread awareness of all forced labor equally, but your response makes seems to me like you think it’s not actually happening in China, only in the US (which if true a source on that would be nice, not just sources about it happening in the US).

Boring Company tunnels just doesn’t have the same alliterative ring to it