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Nintendo Patents Online Console Gaming

Posted by michael on from the mario-will-save-us dept.

MagicDude writes "Nintendo has patented key console online gaming features. Specifically, it has received patents on things such as player league tables, voice communications and online gaming host services. While the article doesn't address how Nintendo will use these patents, it makes you wonder if this is the first step for Nintendo to become a major player in the online gaming market."

7 of 395 comments (clear)

  1. In another patent by News+for+nerds · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sony submit "Game system with graphics processor". Wow.

  2. Re:Obviousness? by kid-noodle · · Score: 5, Informative

    Nope. The patent specifically applies to home consoles, not to anything else.

    Even as a Nintendo fanboy, I'd call this questionable given Xbox Live, and whatever it is Sony have, but you can't pull them up on trying to patent telephones.

    --
    fortune -o
  3. Re:XBOX Live? by Anti+Frozt · · Score: 5, Informative

    What they've been awarded is an addition to a patent they filed for back in 1999, long before Xbox Live existed.

    The thing is that a lot of this technology already existed prior to the patent application in PC online gaming. Nintendo has just patented the same thing on a different technology.

    --
    In C++, friends can touch each others private parts.
  4. Re:Homer, hmmmm patents. Yum by FLAGGR · · Score: 5, Informative

    It was filed in 1998 for the 64DD. If they had filed for it in 2004 then I would agree with you.

  5. Priority date is earlier than you think by tepples · · Score: 5, Informative

    Even as a Nintendo fanboy, I'd call this questionable given Xbox Live

    It appears you didn't read the article:

    The patent, number 6,769,989, was granted on 3 August this year, but is essentially a continuation of another Nintendo patent, 6,599,194, which was filed in April 1999.

    Which Xbox Live service are you talking about that was around before April 1999?

  6. Yes, but before XBL... by Iscariot_ · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yes, but before Xbox Live there was this:

    http://www.megspace.com/entertainment/neskingdom/s pecial/lottery/

    As far as I know it was indeed the first online capable console. There were quite a few games for it, only in Japan, like a special version of Zelda.

    --

    Go here for teh [sic] funny.
  7. 64DD by forensick · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not to be a spoilsport, but this news is a week old and ign and gamespot confirmed a couple days ago that it was just an "add-on" patent for the 64DD so it has nothing to do with future consoles. Unless the Revolution is going to have the 64DD attached to it, but then I would just be confused.