After the USPTO’s approval of WB Games’ patent application for the Nemesis System, the publisher drew criticism from other industry professionals, who pointed out that many WB games were built on borrowed ideas and mechanics.
“This is really disgusting, especially for a franchise that built its brilliant Nemesis System on top of a bunch of mechanics replicated from other games like all games do,” he wrote. Thomas was alone developer, Mike Bithell. “Because this is how culture and creativity work. Be a better neighbor, WB. “
Riot Games’ Cat Manning expressed concern about the broad language used in the patent, which would make things difficult for other studios, especially independent developers who have no funds to fight legal battles.
“Hey, this sucks,” wrote Manning. “I looked at the patent and it is so wide that it is absurd! Several other emerging narrative systems that I have seen and worked with can be described with your language! It probably wouldn’t be legally applicable, but I and other independent developers don’t have the money to find out! “
Manning added that the patent can harm creativity and innovation because it is broad enough to end up being “a license to prevent ANY similar work from being developed”.
Patenting game mechanics is nothing new. As Video Games Chronicle folks have pointed out, publishers like Bandai Namco, Electronic Arts, Sega and Microsoft have patented ideas in the past. However, not all patents resulted in legal battles.
Whether WB Games plans to enforce its patent or not, remains to be seen.
[Source: VGC]