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Yahoo! Sues Xfire For Patent Infringement

Posted by timothy on from the patent-as-bully-stick dept.

CheesyPeteza writes "GameSpot is reporting that the popular game messenger client Xfire is being sued by Yahoo for patent infringement. The patent was originally granted to two Yahoo employees who developed GameProwler for Yahoo Messenger. It describes a system which "allows users to use a game server in connection with a messenger server to permit 'buddies' to know when other 'buddies' are playing games online, and easily join such games." One of these employees then left Yahoo to work for Xfire. Xfire denies infringing on Yahoo's patent, but with the costs estimated at $2 million to defend this cas, will the startup company Xfire be able to stand up to the Yahoo giant?"

7 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Steam by TwistedSquare · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Doesn't Steam do this as well, using its friends list?

    1. Re:Steam by OverlordQ · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Doubt it, the Friends system could probably be considered an integral part of steam which is also the game client, the patent in question a game and messenger client-server system. So where as Steam does it all in one handy client, the Yahoo patent covers 2 seperate but communicable clients.

      (IANAL)

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    2. Re:Steam by cortana · · Score: 2, Interesting

      1. If Steam Friends actually worked. :)

      2. Anyone done a search to see if Valve have a patent war chest themsevles? I'd be surprised if they didn't have a little something stashed away to deter suits from companies like Yahoo. And to use themselves, against a similar start-up, tring to compete in the FPS/online games industry.

  2. I'm gonna say what I said last time. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This, for once, seems like one of those rare cases where a boycott could work. Nobody's actually going to boycott Microsoft or the RIAA, and each of those has so many customers even if a bunch did leave they wouldn't care. Yahoo can't afford to have its customers leaving quite so much, and it might well be possible to talk people into dropping their use of yahoo based on displeasure with a decision to compete in the courts rather than the marketplace-- after all, it isn't like anyone will *really* miss Literati.

    What do you think?

  3. Re:Gamespy is guilty too by BrookHarty · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Gamespy has more money for lawyers, so Yahoo wont sue them until they have a small legal victory to help fight gamespy.

    They wont win, and hopefully xfire can sue yahoo for legal expenses.

  4. Sue the USPTO by popo · · Score: 5, Interesting


    Has anyone considered a lawsuit against the USPTO for issuing frivolous patents, hence necessitating enormous legal costs for the patent "infringers"?

    It seems to me that the answer to all of these nightmare software patent cases stem from a single root-cause: The USPTO and its eager use of the "Patent Approved" stamp.

    Furthermore, the USPTO has many internal processes which incentivize approval of patents. This culture of easy patenting costs small businesses and consumers billions -- and reduces natural competition.

    Has anyone ever sued or thought of suing the USPTO?

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  5. Re:Gamespy is guilty too by Sebby · · Score: 2, Interesting
    how about a solution that puts some accoutability on the PTO?

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