According to a PDF file acquired by The Hollywood Reporter Esq., Capcom is looking to protect itself against the similarities found between the 2006 best seller Dead Rising and the film classic, George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead. In the claim Capcom states that based on current copyright law "humans battling zombies in a shopping mall" is a "wholly unprotectible idea."
The filing, from February 12, comes as a response to a complaint issued to Capcom, Microsoft and Best Buy from The MKR Group, who owns the rights to both versions of the Dawn of the Dead films. In the Capcom filing the publisher lists they made unsuccessful attempts to contact the MKR Group and that the game also features a disclaimer that reads, "This game was not developed, approved or licensed by the owners or creators of George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead."
File this one under the "that took longer than we thought" section of the "it was bound to happen" cabinet and as the second zombie related post of the week.
[Via Joystiq]
In an interesting twist of fate, Microsoft has filed suit against Immersion, makers of rumble technology used in game peripherals. If the name Immersion rings a bell, it's because the company filed suit against both Microsoft and Sony in 2002 for patent infringement. Immersion and Microsoft reached a settlement in 2003, in which Microsoft paid $26 million to Immersion for licensing rights and a stake in the company.
Some no-name company from Texas is dragging Microsoft and Nintendo to court over 12 supposed patent infringements related to game controllers, that amazingly went un-noticed until now. Sony, fresh off a losing court battle over force feedback technology, seems to have avoided the dual shakedown this time around. Who holds the patent on transparent extortion schemes?
Play this PC version of Geometry Wars...I mean...Grid Wars before the Microsoft Legal Department does.
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