Nintendo loses $21M lawsuit

Nintendo loses $21M lawsuit

Nintendo has been ordered by the courts to pay 21 million dollars to Anascape, a smalltime developer based in Texas. The ruling comes after deciding that Big N infringed on 12 patents filed by Anascape to make these controllers:

  • Wii Classic Controller
  • Wavebird
  • GameCube Controller

The patents included things like "Analog Sensors with Snap-Through Tactile Feedback" and "Remote Controller with Analog Pressure Sensors". Charlie Scibetta, a spokesman for Nintendo said they are looking to appeal the decision and cut down the $21M sum considerably.

Anascape also filed a similar lawsuit against Microsoft, who settled the case for an undisclosed amount.

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Rob Jones

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Wiipaw said:

Well, Nintendo can easily get the money back. How? Wii Fit! At least Microsoft had to suffer too. Besides, they can still sell the controllers, right?

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ToTaLgAmEr said:

What a load of crap, what took the company so long to sue anyway, the gamecube came out like 7 years ago.

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YoshLee said:

Neither Nintendo or Microsoft deserve these fines.

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Jonny said:

I wish I could insert a facepalm image into here.

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lt11 said:

What! Unfair.

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Wii Freak said:

That money can buy a lot of Wii's.

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insultman911 said:

Not fair.

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Diddy Kong Lover said:

Whatever, the old Lieberman v Nintendo case of '92 was worse.

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LegatoSkyheart said:

It's a lie! They're only doing it for the money! J/k.

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Quartz said:

Sounds like they just want some money.

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i need a wiiew said:

I might go buy an anascape product, take a dump on it and burn it.

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Dave said:

That is ridiculous! The Wii classic controller is the closest thing to a SNES controller I've ever seen, minus the joysticks--which, by the way, seem directly linked to the N64. Stupid, greedy people. What's next? Some lame television company will probably sue Nintendo for making the Wii remote look too much like a TV remote.

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Tennindo said:

This is nothing for the Big N. $21 mil for them is like $100 for us.

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Nova said:

21 million is like pocket change to Nintendo. They spent over ten times that much last year on technology research alone.

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Wiipaw said:

They should have done the Wii balance board. That (a) could have been a more realastic proposal and (b) would have gotten them more money, I think, because it is more recent. Not that I support them, but I would have gone that route if I was an asshat.

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LOZfan said:

Oh well Nintendo is probably so rich handing over 21 million dollars is probably like handing over $5 to them.

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Master Foot said:

$21M is a small amount to pay compared to the profits that they are making from Wii. That's still a lot of money that they could have used to create a storage solution.

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wii r brawling said:

Of course NOW they sue! Ugh. Money crazy idiots.

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Recoil said:

Anascape? More like ANALscape. Bunch of greedy wankers trying to earn money on Nintendo's success.

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Ultigonio said:

Tch. I remember hearing of a similar case a few years ago, I believe. The other side lost, though. Also, how did Nintendo manage to infringe with the CLASSIC CONTROLLER?! I mean seriously. That just doesn't seem possible. I call shenanigans.

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Senpai said:

You know what? It's just some stupid arses trying to get rich from lawsuits. I could start filing patents right now for all kinds of crazy stuff, then in 8 years cash in via lawsuit, if I were, of course, a total douche.

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Sanity said:

The big N will get the money back, just look at the numbers. They own at everything. Wii Fit is coming out and that's going to make big profits.

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NintendoRulz said:

Man, suing these companies, man, Anascapes are such noobs. And losers.

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sonicblast23 said:

What's the Wavebird, and that is not fair but if now after that they get written permission from those guys anascape can't do anything about it. Because on a lot of things it says do not copy or transmit in any way without written permission from the person that got the patent but that might just be for books.

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YoshLee said:

You're right sanity, besides Nintendo has a good chance of lowering the lawsuit a lot and showing those Anacheapscape dicks a thing or two.

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Wiipaw said:

The wavebird is the wireless gamecube contoller, SB23. Works very well, even through walls. Woah! The mystical number appears again. All hail #23.

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wiiguy said:

Mario better show up at anascope's house and beat them up.

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qb said:

The average federal suit (this is one) takes 5 years to get to trial. This one's getting appealed also so it's not as if they sued yesterday. Also, this is patent technology infringement. Do you think Microsoft would pay a cent if it wasn't valid? These big companies are making millions off others' ideas.

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