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Game Industry Hit with AVG Graphics Patent ‘690 Suit

Text of ‘690 Patent
American Video Graphics, LP (“AVG”) has asserted that approximately thirty defendants in the gaming industry have infringed one its patent(s) that cover 3D panning and a zooming technology.

Sources: CNet | The Register pt 1 | The Register pt 2 | ars technica | ZDNet | USA Today | Planet GameCube | OnlyPunjab.com | IGDA Wiki Entry on ‘690 Topic

See also: IGDA’s call for ‘690 Prior Art

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Valve and Vivendi Sue and Counter-sue Over Distribution Agreement

On August 14, 2002, Valve served its then-publisher Sierra On-Line (now Sierra Entertainment, a Vivendi Universal Games brand) with a lawsuit in the US District Court of Washington, Western Division, alleging copyright infringement–the result of Sierra distributing Valve games in Internet cafés in the US and abroad. Vivendi accuses Valve of deliberately misleading them and had counterclaimed that Valve’s distribution of Half-Live with Steam had adversely affected its retail plans. Under their distribution agreement Vivendi can release Half-Life up to six months after the game goes gold. Valve says that Vivendi has not announced the date it will be released.

Sources: Gamespot | Yahoo! Games | EuroGamer

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Sony Wins Landmark U.K. Modding Case

The British High Court has ruled that using, possessing, selling or advertising modded PS2 consoles is illegal. Justice Laddie ruled that Ball had violated the European Union Copyright Directive, which came into UK law in 2003. The defendant had sold some 1,500 Messiah 2 chips allowing customers to defeat both the PS2’s region coding restrictions and the PS2’s built-in piracy protections.

Sources: ZDNet | GameIndustry.biz | The Register | BBC | GamePlanet | Outlaw-com

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Australian Court Rules Console Modding Legal

An Australian Court Rules that modding consoles do not infringe copyright because Sony was unable to show that copy protection measures had been built into their consoles. The Australian consumer watchdog organization ACCC has fought Sony over region coding in the past as being anti-consumer by denying them the right to play genuinely purchased games from cheaper overseas sources.

Source: GameIndustry.biz

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Movie and Video Game Companies Win Dismissal in Columbine-Related Suit

In a thorough 30-page opinion, Chief Judge Lewis T. Babcock rejected the plaintiffs’ negligence and strict liability claims on both state law and First Amendment grounds. On the negligence claims, the court held that the movie and video game defendants did not owe a duty to the plaintiffs and that, in any event, Harris and Klebold’s actions were a superseding cause of Sanders’ death. On the strict liability claims, the court held that the expression in the movies and video games was not a “product” subject to strict liability and that, again, the shooters’ actions were a superseding cause. In addition, the court held that the First Amendment barred all of plaintiffs’ claims.

Source: Deanne Maynard of Jenner & Block

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Sony Wins U.K. Mod-chip Ruling Against Channel Technology

Channel Technology imported mod-chips from Russia that when installed in PS2’s to play games from all regions. Importantly, the chip also allows users to play pirated games. The U.K. High Court found Channel Technology in violation of a provision in the UK. Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 that prohibits knowingly making, importing or selling any device specifically designed or adapted to circumvent copy-protection. Judge Jacob awarded Sony damages of £15,000 and costs of £45,000. Channel Technology has since closed.

Sources: The Register | ZDNet | Out-Law.com

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Nvidia and S3 Settle

Rival 3D chipmakers Nvidia and S3 have come to a settlement in their ongoing patent infringement battle. The two companies settled their differenced by entering into a seven year agreement to cross license a broad range of the companies respective patents. As part of the deal, both companies will drop their pending patent infringement suits.

Sources: Gamasutra | NVidia Press Release

Earlier Related Stories: Find Articles | The Register | CNet