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Note that this suit was filed in Japan. Their laws may be very different from what most HN users are familiar with.

by maxk42 2y ago

forgotoldacc 2y ago
Japanese laws pertaining to copyright/corporate rights in general can make the US look like a paradise of freedom. Another game company, Konami, is suing Cygames for--in short--having a system where characters compete and can be leveled up. Plus the concept of "fair use" technically kind of exists legally but not in practice. You sample something and the owner doesn't approve, you're screwed. You don't sample something but simply say something that lowers their reputation, you're screwed (the bar for "libel" is incredibly low--even facts can be successfully tried so long as it can be proven that the intention was to in some way lower a person or particularly a company's reputation). The last one is particularly funny since you'll see the media giving endless praise to a CEO/businessperson and treating them as Jesus 2.0, but the very day they die, the floodgates open and you find out they've committed every crime known to mankind and everyone around them knew it. Basically, Pocketpair is quite likely heavily screwed. Nintendo can attack them on several fronts and likely will. People saying they made a better Pokemon than Nintendo themselves probably angered a few people within the company and it's easier to take them out legally than to actually compete.
- Jach 2y ago
  Given Nintendo's last lawsuit related to patents took several years and ended not with a court win or the game ever shut down during that time but with them getting a settlement, Pocketpair is likely fine. Pocketpair might have difficulties partnering with many businesses even outside of gaming in the future, since I've been led to believe the non-legal effects tend to matter quite a bit in Japan as well, but they have global appeal and can find foreign partners if they need to.
  - rincebrain 2y ago
    Which lawsuit was that?
    - Jach 2y ago
      Nintendo vs. Colopl

Note that this suit was filed in Japan. Their laws may be very different from what most HN users are familiar with.

by maxk42 2y ago

Note that this suit was filed in Japan. Their laws may be very different from what most HN users are familiar with.

Japanese laws pertaining to copyright/corporate rights in general can make the US look like a paradise of freedom. Another game company, Konami, is suing Cygames for--in short--having a system where characters compete and can be leveled up. Plus the concept of "fair use" technically kind of exists legally but not in practice. You sample something and the owner doesn't approve, you're screwed. You don't sample something but simply say something that lowers their reputation, you're screwed (the bar for "libel" is incredibly low--even facts can be successfully tried so long as it can be proven that the intention was to in some way lower a person or particularly a company's reputation). The last one is particularly funny since you'll see the media giving endless praise to a CEO/businessperson and treating them as Jesus 2.0, but the very day they die, the floodgates open and you find out they've committed every crime known to mankind and everyone around them knew it. Basically, Pocketpair is quite likely heavily screwed. Nintendo can attack them on several fronts and likely will. People saying they made a better Pokemon than Nintendo themselves probably angered a few people within the company and it's easier to take them out legally than to actually compete.

Jach 2y ago
Given Nintendo's last lawsuit related to patents took several years and ended not with a court win or the game ever shut down during that time but with them getting a settlement, Pocketpair is likely fine. Pocketpair might have difficulties partnering with many businesses even outside of gaming in the future, since I've been led to believe the non-legal effects tend to matter quite a bit in Japan as well, but they have global appeal and can find foreign partners if they need to.
- rincebrain 2y ago
  Which lawsuit was that?
  - Jach 2y ago
    Nintendo vs. Colopl