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Nintendo Awarded Patent for Instant Messaging

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the seems-a-little-vague dept.

Zwzo writes "Nintendo has been awarded a patent for a video game messaging service that utilizes a buddy list and can display information about game activities and user status." From the article: "Initially filed in 2000, a year before the release of Microsoft's Xbox and two years before the official launch of Microsoft's Xbox Live Internet service, Nintendo's patent is relatively broad and could potentially lead to litigation against other major players in the game console market. Although the text of the patent itself refers to the Nintendo64 and Game Boy Color by name, some have speculated that this patent could portend an instant messaging system for the Wii."

2 of 67 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Moving on ... by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > As long as they don't weild it as a patent troll I will just mind my own business.

    Yup. Althought in this case, isn't the animal in question is more like a patent wiisel than a troll?

  2. Re:A little ridiculous by suv4x4 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Next they'll patent "fun".

    That would be ok, no other console producing company seems interested in this invention.