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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."

2 of 395 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is this why Microsoft wants to buy Nintendo, I wonder?

  2. Re:Priority date is earlier than you think by Qzukk · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The patent cited there is for a console with a harddrive, but voice services for games have been around much longer than 1999. I remember playing subspace in 97 with the ability to record and send short clips to other players, and using netmeeting to chat with friends. These days when consoles literally are just desktops, "on a console" is no more innovative than "on the internet".

    --
    If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.