This week comments on the crapshow that is going on with most of the third party publishers. That, and some updates to games that people really care about.
The news includes:
Let us know what you think.
This week’s episode not only has a Gaming Flashback, but a Gaming History as well. The Flashback looks at the hardware intensive PC game Crysis, while the Gaming History looks at one of the bigger crowdfunding fiascos, Starforge. Jonah also reminds viewers that the “mayo” in the Splatfest for Splatoon 2 probably wasn’t actually mayo.
This week’s news items include:
Question of the Week: “What two games would you like to see combined?”
This week we’re hammering through some top news articles while tackling some community comments and hitting the history hard!
Question of the week, have you seen any video game tattoo’s that have been less dork and more actual awesome? Do you have any?
Apparently Konami just realized Harmonix, MTV Networks and Viacom have made some game called Rock Band and want to take legal action. Konami has created some Japanese games involving karaoke called Karaoke Revolution. Why take legal action now?
Probably because Konami is working towards Rock Revolution, a title which puts together drums, vocals and guitar. How odd, don’t we have a game called Rock Band which has done that for awhile now? It’s much easier to be competitive in the market if you can squeeze your opponent out of the market by telling them you hold a patent on the entire concept…which you let slide for a year.
It seems a bit convenient to force a lawsuit, now, after Rock Band is proven successful and before you launch your own “clone.”
Its suit claims that Rock Band violates a series of US Patents registered in 2002 and 2003 relating to “simulated musical instruments” and “musical rhythm-matching game.” (gamespot)
Although the developers of Rock Band should have gone through some patents on the topic prior to make it (or maybe they did?), it seems a bit out of place to patent such a generic concept. As far as I know, Musical Chairs is also a musical rhythm-matching game but nobody put up any stink when Konami filed a patent for the same concept…
