Nintendo Awarded Patent for Instant Messaging

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."

Comments

but

[amazon10x]

But the question is: Did they file this patent so they could sue the pants off Microsoft et al. Or, did they file the patent just for protection against a suit?

Dreamcast

[Anonymous Coward]

Nintendo was initially planning to have an online service with the Gamecube that rivaled XBox Live but it got scrapped because of how unpopular the online services that the Dreamcast had were; if you look at how successful Microsoft was with XBox Live you can see how Nintendo was (probably) correct (in a buisness sence) in not including a similar product on the Gamecube. Ultimately Gamespy predates any patents I have heard of that deal with centralized online services so this really just demonstrates how broken our patent system is; I wonder if I can get a patent on selling the sexual services of women on the street?

I messaged in warbirds in the 90's

[Anonymous Coward]

Man I used to fly in Warbirds online in the 90's and im all the other pilots all the time.

geopilot

http://www.globalboiling.com/

Re:Keyboard? or VOIP Wiimote?

[KingBraden]

The Xbox360 has 2 USB ports, can you just hook a keyboard up to it?
I am being serious, I just want to know.