Slashdot Mirror
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."
Who wants to start listing prior art? I don't know offhand, what sort of messaging capabilities existed in XBand, The Sierra Network, AOL, countless BBSes and BBS doors, MUDs, the old UNIX mainframe games, etc.?
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What are you, an idiot? What else are they going to use it for other than affecting their competitors? What would be the point of patenting _anything_ if it didn't put you ahead of your competitors in some way? That's what they're for.
Really, try and use your head before you post. It might help.