Infinium Labs Threatens Gaming News Site

Over the past year or two, Slashdot has run a number of stories about Infinium Labs and their Phantom Game Console (that phrase still makes me smile, every time). I think we've been generous to them, taking their game console talk at more or less face value, despite the vaporous nature of the product. Now they've decided that threats are a better plan for improving their image than producing a real product, and threatened HardOCP over an older news story. Our own Robin Miller has talked to Infinium and written up his impressions of the situation.

Comments

Re:Go Infinium.. or something..

[hchaos]

I'm no legal strategist but wouldn't it be smarter for Infinium to actually demo one of these consoles then go after HardOCP for slander/defamation/whatever? Right now it sounds like they don't like the attacks on their vapourware. My idea assumes, naturally, that Infinium actuall has a Phantom console to demo...

It would be smarter, because they could then show that the HardOCP's statements were in fact false, which is necessary for a libel or defamation claim, but they wouldn't win anyway, because they would still have to show that HardOCP knew the statements were false. And the "use of Infinium's proprietary images ... with the intent to tarnish Infinium's image and dilute the value of its name" isn't going to get them anywhere, because HardOCP is a news organization, and has a lot of protections against this kind of thing, and definitely is not subject to trademark issues on this matter.

The letter is probably nothing more than legal posturing, intended to scare the little guy, but of little use to anyone who has their own lawyer.

IANAL

[Attaturk]

I dunno. With a background like that of Tim Roberts and a product named "Phantom", I'm sure I could be forgiven for thinking that perhaps this was the strategy from the start.

1. Produce hype and raise investment for a product that sounds like, looks like and feels like it's going to be vapourware.

2. Wait until the hordes of enthusiast web sites start labelling the product vapourware.

3. Sue the crap out of one of the smaller, juicier targets on the basis that they're having an financial impact on the product's ongoing development.

4. Rinse, repeat steps 1 and 3 until you've raised so much money you can either a) actually build the product or b) do a runner.

5. Well, profit. =P

Maybe I'm just a little jumpy in this SCO-et-al era. I'm not trying to bait but I would genuinely love to hear some /. IANAL's and IAAL's debunk this particular conspiracy theory. :)

Jiggery-pokery?

[karmaflux]

Can anyone decipher that?

...and does anyone else suspect that this whole ordeal might be a front for the REAL BUSINESS?

Re:Actually, it's libel.

[Winkhorst]

Doesn't there actually have to BE a product?

In any event, I just sent the following email to their corporate lawyers, who, amazingly enough, go by the acronym MOFO:

Gentlemen:

First let me say that your corporate name, MOFO, sounds as if it were specifically designed to strike fear into the hearts of anyone you deal with. Or perhaps you just don't understand the slang meaning of the term MOFO.

I have just read the article, "Behind the Infinium Phantom Console," at the HardOCP site against which you have apparently issued a nasty letter in your best lawyerly legalese. I am curious, since I take the idea of freedom of speech quite seriously, just why exactly your client and you refused to supply the above mentioned site with any information as to what exactly you found inaccurate or distressing about that article. Personally, I found it quite enlightening and informative. Just for the record, just what exactly DO you find inaccurate about this story? I am always interested in learning the truth and I look forward to your reply so that I may further my knowledge of this company and its director.

Regards,

[deleted]

Re:This is damn sad.

[The Wing Lover]

What kind of strange alternate reality is this company living in?

The United States of America.