Even if there weren't a million examples of prior art, the fact that patents on game mechanics are even allowed is just awful for the industry as a whole, and we as players should absolutely rail against this. Every game borrows from other games' ideas and mechanics - I'd bet money that there hasn't been a single fully "original" game in 20+ years. If companies are allowed to patent every little mechanic (even ones they didn't come up with), the industry as a whole will just become impossible to operate in.

[–] Infynis@midwest.social 12 points 3 weeks ago

Every game borrows from other games' ideas and mechanics

It's not only games, this is just straight-up how art works. Culture develops over time. Of course capitalism had to get a middleman in there lol

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 10 points 4 weeks ago

the fact that patents on game mechanics are even allowed is just awful for the industry as a whole

Yes, definetly.

[–] ImplyingImplications@lemmy.ca 14 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

It's a Japanese patent. I'm not sure how it would hold up internationally, but Pocketpair is also a Japanese company and this lawsuit is entirely within the Japanese legal system. That probably gives Nintendo a bit of an advantage since they're such a large and iconic Japanese corporation.

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 18 points 4 weeks ago (1 children)

Copyright is already cooked, no matter where it's located. But the way japan acts as if Pokemon invented JRPG battles is simply ridiculous.

[–] otp@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

the way japan acts as if Pokemon invented JRPG battles is simply ridiculous.

Am I missing some bit of context? Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy still exist (and came first).

[–] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 4 points 3 weeks ago

That's what I meant with "prior art". Nintendo's second patent basically explains how any old JRPG worked.