Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Stargate Worlds is not resting in peace as new lawsuit emerges]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/stargate-worlds-is-not-resting-in-peace-as-new-lawsuit-emerges/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/stargate-worlds-is-not-resting-in-peace-as-new-lawsuit-emerges/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/stargate-worlds-is-not-resting-in-peace-as-new-lawsuit-emerges/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Stargate World image
Travel back two years to when Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment was filing for bankruptcy and (unsuccessfully) attempting to sever ties with Gary Whiting, Chairman and CEO of the company. Stargate fans watched as their hopes for an MMO were dashed.

Fast forward to present day, when Stargate Worlds appears back in the news. Unfortunately for fans, it has nothing to do with offering a sliver of hope that the game itself might also revive; instead, more lawsuits are being filed against Whiting and other Cheyenne employees.

The newest lawsuit filed in Arizona includes 17 plaintiffs who accuse Whiting of misleading investors in various ways to obtain their cash. Some of the allegations leveled at Whiting include "negligent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, common-law fraud and securities fraud"; he's also accused of issuing loans to himself from the company's funds -- money that may still be in Whiting's possession, according to Cheyenne Mountain's court-appointed receiver, Keith Bierman of Phoenix-based MCA Financial Group.

MassivelyStargate Worlds is not resting in peace as new lawsuit emerges originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 15 May 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cheyenne-mountain-entertainmentcmegary-whitinglawsuitlawsuitslegallegal-issuesstargatestargate-worldsTue, 15 May 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Chocolate makes you fat edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/the-mmo-report-chocolate-makes-you-fat-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/the-mmo-report-chocolate-makes-you-fat-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/the-mmo-report-chocolate-makes-you-fat-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The MMO Report
This week on The MMO Report, Casey delivers a Valentine's Day rant before moving on to the latest news -- namely, The Secret World's release date rumors, Wakfu's PvP, and the sunset of sci-fi sandbox Earthrise. He also rounds up the latest Blizzard headlines, noting the lawsuit against Valve, World of Warcraft's recent sub losses, and the "valiant and pointless exercise" of rebuilding Azeroth in Minecraft.

Finally, Uncle Casey's Mailbag provides a forum for the debate over just how we're supposed to pronounce "SWTOR." All this and more in the video behind the break!

Continue reading The MMO Report: Chocolate makes you fat edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Chocolate makes you fat edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentcasey-schreinerchocolatedotadota-2earthrisefuncomlawsuitminecraftmmo-reportnewsopinionpvpstar-wars-the-old-republicsub-lossessunsetswtorthe-mmo-reportthe-secret-worldtswvalentines-dayvalvevideovideoswakfuThu, 16 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week in MMO: Gannon-free edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/this-week-in-mmo-gannon-free-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/this-week-in-mmo-gannon-free-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/this-week-in-mmo-gannon-free-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

The Gamebreaker crew (minus Gary Gannon)
It's time for This Week in MMO, kids, and no, you don't need to adjust your televisions monitors. That is not Gary Gannon behind the mic this week, but it is Mike Schaffnit, and he's joined by Mike B. and Jason Winter for the customary MMO news roundtable.

Tops on the agenda is TERA, which went from announcing its launch date to having a potentially launch-affecting lawsuit leveled at it by NCsoft. As the week wore on things got a bit better thanks to pre-order announcements (and the associated closed beta invites), but there's still a bit of a cloud hanging over En Masse's maiden title that our trio discusses at length.

Other newsy bits include The Secret World's new trailer, World of Planes namechange, and the overbearing nanny-state that is South Korea. Check out the full show after the break.

Continue reading This Week in MMO: Gannon-free edition

MassivelyThis Week in MMO: Gannon-free edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>en-masseen-masse-entertainmentfuncomgamebreakergamebreaker-tvlawsuitnanny-statencsoftteratera-lawsuitthe-secret-worldthis-week-in-mmotwimmovideoworld-of-planesThu, 02 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/ask-massively-thieving-on-the-fast-track-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/ask-massively-thieving-on-the-fast-track-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/ask-massively-thieving-on-the-fast-track-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

These are the markers used to cross our names off the credits. What? It's not the most tenuous connection I've used.
One of our readers was kind enough to point us to two sites that, once again, were stealing our posts without crediting our authors or anything like that. (I don't mean "this post looks suspiciously similar"; I mean abusing copy and paste.) Unfortunately, while we're aware of these things, there's not a whole lot we can do other than request that the sites get taken down. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's all we can do. I guess it's nice to be good enough that your work is worth stealing without credit? That's something.

This week's installment of Ask Massively isn't going to focus on that, however. Instead, we're going to focus on the recent spate of MMO litigation and the potential for a boxed RIFT expansion. If you have a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of Ask Massively, mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave a comment in the field below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.

Continue reading Ask Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition

MassivelyAsk Massively: Thieving on the fast track edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ask-massivelyBethesda-Softworksbottersboxed-expansioncolumncolumnsexpansionfalloutfallout-onlinefeaturedinterplayjagexlawsuitlawsuitslitigationmmo-industryopinionplagiarismriftscrapingsite-scrapingtriontrion-worldsThu, 02 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[En Masse comments on NCsoft TERA lawsuit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/en-masse-comments-on-ncsoft-tera-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/en-masse-comments-on-ncsoft-tera-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/en-masse-comments-on-ncsoft-tera-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

TERA - high elf character creation
En Masse Entertainment has commented on a pending lawsuit by NCsoft that seeks to prevent the North American launch of TERA. As you would expect, there is virtually no detail on the proceedings, but En Masse publishing vice president Chris Lee does come out swinging, saying that the firm "outright rejects" NCsoft's position and will fight it to the last.

NCsoft has alleged that former employees stole Lineage 3 code and art assets that were used to make TERA, and the firm has already scored a legal victory in Korea that resulted in jail time for some of the ex-staffers.

How all of this affects TERA's U.S. release is unclear, though Lee says it's business as usual for En Masse and its fans. "This situation has no impact on our continuing efforts to realize the vision we have for our game. We are committed to making TERA awesome and delivering the game to you on time on May 1st," he writes.

MassivelyEn Masse comments on NCsoft TERA lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studiochris-leeen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasylawsuitncsoftncsoft-lawsuitncsoft-tera-lawsuitteratera-lawsuittera-release-dateFri, 27 Jan 2012 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft files TERA-related lawsuit against Bluehole and En Masse]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/ncsoft-files-tera-related-lawsuit-against-bluehole-and-en-masse/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/ncsoft-files-tera-related-lawsuit-against-bluehole-and-en-masse/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/ncsoft-files-tera-related-lawsuit-against-bluehole-and-en-masse/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

TERA - Sorcerer vs. BAM
It's been a long road to completion for En Masse Entertainment and its upcoming TERA MMO. If NCsoft has its way in court, it might be even longer. MMO Culture reports that NCsoft filed a lawsuit earlier this month stating that a group of its employees quit the company and went on to found Bluehole Studio (TERA's original Korean developer). In doing so, the former employees allegedly stole "copious amounts of confidential and proprietary NCsoft information, computer software, hardware, and artwork relating to Lineage 3" and used it to produce TERA.

The employees were convicted of stealing trade secrets by a Korean court in 2009, and the convictions were "mostly upheld by an appellate court." NCsoft filed a Korean civil complaint against Bluehole in 2010 and won damages and an injunction, both of which were subsequently overturned by an appellate court.

Despite the fact that both criminal and civil litigation is still pending, Bluehole launched the Korean version of TERA in early 2011. En Masse (Bluehole's American subsidiary) is scheduled to launch the U.S. version in May of 2012.

MassivelyNCsoft files TERA-related lawsuit against Bluehole and En Masse originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blueholebluehole-studioen-masseen-masse-entertainmentfantasylawsuitlegallineage-3ncsoftteratera-lawsuitWed, 25 Jan 2012 23:50:00 EST<![CDATA[This Week in MMO: Lawsuits edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/this-week-in-mmo-lawsuits-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/this-week-in-mmo-lawsuits-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/this-week-in-mmo-lawsuits-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

This Week in MMO
It's that time again, folks. Gary Gannon and guests Mike B. and Mike Schaffnit bring you this week's edition of This Week in MMO, and today the spotlight is set on the Bethesda-Interplay lawsuit, which was recently resolved in Bethesda's favor. Meanwhile, console gamers everywhere are surely pleased to hear that they won't be left out of Blizzard's upcoming Diablo III, as it was recently confirmed that the game will be making the jump to consoles as well as PC. And finally, to top it all off, the guys have a chat about SOE CEO John Smedley's thoughts on the free-to-play business model and PlanetSide 2's newest trailer. If you've got an hour to kill, just click on past the cut for the full episode.

Continue reading This Week in MMO: Lawsuits edition

MassivelyThis Week in MMO: Lawsuits edition originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-interplay-lawsuitconsolesdiablo-iiigary-gannoninterplayjohn-smedleylawsuitmike-bmike-schaffnitplanetside-2this-week-in-mmotwimmovideovideosThu, 12 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bethesda and Interplay settle Fallout MMO lawsuits, Interplay's rights revoked]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/bethesda-and-interplay-settle-fallout-mmo-lawsuits-interplays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/bethesda-and-interplay-settle-fallout-mmo-lawsuits-interplays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/01/09/bethesda-and-interplay-settle-fallout-mmo-lawsuits-interplays/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Bethesda and Interplay have been embroiled in a legal battle for quite some time now, arguing over whether or not Interplay had the rights to create a Fallout MMO. Well, that lawsuit has finally been settled and it appears that Bethesda has come out on top. In a press release today, Bethesda announced that "under the terms of the settlement, the license granted to Interplay to develop the Fallout MMO is null and void, and all rights granted to Interplay to develop a Fallout MMO revert back to Bethesda, effective immediately." Bethesda fails to make any mention of whether or not the studio will use its freshly re-acquired rights in order to actually make a Fallout MMO, however, so the future of the online wasteland remains in flux.

[Source: Bethesda Game Studios press release]

MassivelyBethesda and Interplay settle Fallout MMO lawsuits, Interplay's rights revoked originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-game-studiosbethesda-softworksfalloutfallout-mmofallout-onlineindustryinterplayinterplay-entertainmentlawsuitlawsuitslegalmmo-industrysettlementsettlementsMon, 09 Jan 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Jagex levies a lawsuit against RuneScape botters]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/jagex-levies-a-lawsuit-against-runescape-botters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/jagex-levies-a-lawsuit-against-runescape-botters/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/26/jagex-levies-a-lawsuit-against-runescape-botters/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

RuneScape
As RuneScape staggers under the assault of thousands of bots, Jagex is pulling out a pair of big guns to meet the problem head-on. The first weapon was yesterday's "Bot-Nuking Day," in which a patch was released that was supposed to deal with 98% of the botting in the game. The second is an official email sent to suspected botters threatening them with a class-action lawsuit if they don't desist.

In the email, Jagex calls out the suspected behavior and offers the player a "one-time amnesty lifeline" to shape up. These players will be placed on a watch list and will be monitored for any further botting action. If the player persists in cheating, then Jagex promises to not only remove their account permanently but to include the player in a mass lawsuit.

"If you ignore our offer and instead continue use botting software, we reserve our rights to pursue statutory damages against you for between $200 to $2,500 per act of past, present, and/or future botting," the letter states.

A Jagex mod on the RuneScape forums confirmed that these emails are real.

MassivelyJagex levies a lawsuit against RuneScape botters originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amnestybotbotsbottersbottingclass-action-lawsuitf2pfree-to-playjagexlawsuitlegallegal-actionrunescapeWed, 26 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Appeals court affirms Richard Garriott's lawsuit win against NCsoft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/appeals-court-affirms-richard-garriotts-lawsuit-win-against-ncs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/appeals-court-affirms-richard-garriotts-lawsuit-win-against-ncs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/25/appeals-court-affirms-richard-garriotts-lawsuit-win-against-ncs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Richard Garriott
Ever since Richard Garriott won his lawsuit against former employer NCsoft last year, the legal process has been grinding on ever since to hash out the details. Today we've learned that the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed the win of almost $32 million in favor of Garriott.

The lawsuit came about after NCsoft fired Garriott in 2008 and then marked his departure as "voluntary," causing his stock options to expire instead of remaining intact through the end of his 2011 contract. In 2010 a court found NCsoft to have breached its contract, and it ordered the company to pay $28 million plus interest and attorney fees to Garriott and his legal team. This recent ruling affirms that outcome and paves the path for Garriott to be compensated.

In the ruling, the 5th Circuit Court writes, "It would be unjust to allow NCsoft to sit back during trial, observe Garriott's litigation strategy, and then demand a new trial on damages when it dislikes the verdict."

[Source: Androvett Legal Media press release]

MassivelyAppeals court affirms Richard Garriott's lawsuit win against NCsoft originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>32-million5th-circuit-courtappealsappeals-courtcourtcourt-of-appealsjudgejurylawsuitlegalncsoftrichard-garriottrulingverdictTue, 25 Oct 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[New website provides online opt-out services for game EULAs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/new-website-provides-online-opt-out-services-for-game-eulas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/new-website-provides-online-opt-out-services-for-game-eulas/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/10/04/new-website-provides-online-opt-out-services-for-game-eulas/#commentsFiled under: , ,

GamersOptOut header text - opting out of class actions
If you're like most of us, you don't read the giant wall o' legalese that serves as a speed bump on the way to your favorite virtual world. A group of Redditors has, though, and has set up a new website designed to assist gamers in opting out of the clause that prevents participation in potential class action lawsuits leveled against gaming service providers.

Apparently opting out requires that a physical letter be mailed to the gaming company in question, and GamersOptOut.com purports to do the tedious work for you (either for free or for a voluntary donation). The catch is that you'll need to provide personal information, including your name, address, and game account name.

The website's creators page lists the online handles (as well as Xbox Live, PSN, and Twitter identities) of those responsible, but given the anonymous nature of the site and the privacy concerns raised by providing your personal info, we suggest you proceed with caution. Currently the website features an opt-out form for Sony's PlayStation network and Electronic Arts' new Origin digital delivery service.

MassivelyNew website provides online opt-out services for game EULAs originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anonymousclass-actionclass-action-lawsuiteaelectronic-artseulagame-industrygamers-opt-outgamersoptoutlawsuitlegalmmo-industryopt-outplaystation-networkpsnshadysonyTue, 04 Oct 2011 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Never say Neverwinter: Cryptic forced to delay D&D RPG]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/never-say-neverwinter-cryptic-forced-to-delay-dandd-rpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/never-say-neverwinter-cryptic-forced-to-delay-dandd-rpg/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/08/15/never-say-neverwinter-cryptic-forced-to-delay-dandd-rpg/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Neverwinter
Fans -- and general looky-loos -- anticipating Cryptic's next game will have to wait a little while longer. Neverwinter has been officially delayed following a bout of legal mumbo jumbo involving Atari and Hasbro struggling over the Dungeons & Dragons license.

While the two companies have finally settled this long-running dispute, Atari's sale of Cryptic to Perfect World Entertainment has come with a catch regarding its Neverwinter project. Due to the new ownership, Perfect World is demanding Cryptic work on "a more immersive experience" for Neverwinter and is thus pushing the cooperative RPG's release from the formerly announced 2011 launch window to late 2012.

The settlement means that Hasbro will regain the digital licensing rights to D&D, but Atari can still sell and develop some titles under that umbrella. Cryptic Studios was acquired by Perfect World earlier this month for a whopping $49.8 million.

MassivelyNever say Neverwinter: Cryptic forced to delay D&D RPG originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012atarid-and-ddelaydnddungeons-and-dragonshasbrolawsuitlegallegal-battlelicensemumbo-jumboneverwinterperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentreleasesettlementMon, 15 Aug 2011 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SOE games down until Friday at the earliest, class action suit launched, Anonymous denies involvement [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/soe-games-reportedly-down-until-friday-at-the-earliest-class-ac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/soe-games-reportedly-down-until-friday-at-the-earliest-class-ac/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/soe-games-reportedly-down-until-friday-at-the-earliest-class-ac/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The latest news in the Sony Online Entertainment debacle finds the besieged MMORPG maker turning to outside sources for help. According to MSNBC, SOE has hired security experts from Data Forte, Guidance Software, and Robert Half International to assist in plugging the holes in its IT infrastructure.

Legal issues are waiting in the wings as well, and Tuesday brought the first hint of a proposed class-action suit. McPhadden Samac Tuovi LLP is preparing a $1.05 billion suit on behalf of a 21-year old PlayStation customer from Mississauga, Ontario.

In other related news, SOE's Taina Rodriguez told the San Diego Union-Tribune that the company's game services will remain offline through Friday and possibly longer.

[Update: In its most recent update, SOE commented further on the delay between the attacks and SOE's becoming aware of them, noting that "Essentially the perpetrators used sophisticated means not only to access the data, but also to cover their tracks. We committed to continue the investigation and in doing so, uncovered further information that we did not have when we initially believed the data was not stolen."

Meanwhile, our sister publication Joystiq is among news agencies reporting that SOE has suggested to Congress that Anonymous is responsible for the attacks. Anonymous has denied involvement.]

MassivelySOE games down until Friday at the earliest, class action suit launched, Anonymous denies involvement [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 04 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-action-lawsuitclass-action-suitdata-breachdata-forteguidance-softwarehackhackinglawsuitmcphadden-samacrobert-half-internationalsecurityservers-downsoesoe-hackSony-Online-Entertainmenttaina-rodriguezWed, 04 May 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The MMO Report: Good to the last drop edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-mmo-report-good-to-the-last-drop-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-mmo-report-good-to-the-last-drop-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/21/the-mmo-report-good-to-the-last-drop-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It's time once again for another freshly-brewed episode of the MMO report, where we can expect that the week's news will be roasted to a tasty, yet full-bodied finish. This week finds Casey Schreiner and the crew at G4TV touching on some of the most important -- and strangest -- news from the MMO world, as well as getting their caffeine on in Uncle Casey's Mailbag.

First up, Casey reminds us why lawsuits are very silly things, and gives voice to the one thing we suspect many people fear about the legal bickering between Bethesda and Interplay over the Fallout MMO. Up next, the Blood Lord's rampage in Vindictus is on the radar (with a shout out to us here at Massively -- thanks!), proving you can't have slaughter without laughter. From there, it's on to Champions Online, and its move to free-to-play starting on January 25th, as well as news from APB's continuing free-to-play conversion. (We'd have something witty to say about those two, but we keep getting distracted by character creation. The next thing you know, hours have passed.) Finally, Casey rounds out this week's episode with a one-two punch of some truly weird news coupled with the usual dose of insanity in Uncle Casey's Mailbag, aided now with large amounts of caffeine.

So grab your coffee cup, and join us behind the jump for all the best (and some of the worst) in this week's MMO Report. You can also catch it every Thursday on G4TV.

Continue reading The MMO Report: Good to the last drop edition

MassivelyThe MMO Report: Good to the last drop edition originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apbapb-reloadedbethesdaBethesda-Softworkscasey-schreinercoffeecrypticcryptic-studiosf2pfallout-mmofree-to-playgamersfirst-owns-this-cityhumorinterplayinterplay-entertainmentlawsuitnews-of-the-weirdNexonthe-mmo-reportuncle-caseys-mailbagvindictusFri, 21 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard, Zynga sued over gaming patent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/05/blizzard-zynga-sued-over-gaming-patent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/05/blizzard-zynga-sued-over-gaming-patent/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/05/blizzard-zynga-sued-over-gaming-patent/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

What's an upstart company to do in a world dominated by deep-pocketed publishers and corporate titans? Sue them, of course! Walker Digital, the brainchild of Priceline.com founder Jay Walker, made headlines by suing Facebook late last year and has now completed a legal double-play by filing a patent infringement suit against Zynga and Activision-Blizzard.

The alleged misconduct hinges on a "database driven online distributed tournament system" that Walker Digital claims has been infringed upon for games ranging from Mafia Wars, Wolfenstein, and Call of Duty to Blizzard's behemoth World of Warcraft MMORPG. TechCrunch has all the details, including an embed of the original complaint documents.

MassivelyBlizzard, Zynga sued over gaming patent originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ActivisionActivision-BlizzardBlizzardBlizzard-Entertainmentjay-walkerlawsuitlegalmmo-industrypricelinepriceline.comtechcrunchwalker-digitalWorld-of-WarcraftwowWed, 05 Jan 2011 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/the-perfect-ten-most-controversial-mmo-stories-of-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/the-perfect-ten-most-controversial-mmo-stories-of-2010/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/16/the-perfect-ten-most-controversial-mmo-stories-of-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Well, this is it, folks. The end of the year. A time of reflection, of massive weight gain and of lists. Man, we like our lists, do we not? Fortunately, at Perfect Ten Industries, we've been excelling in lists for months now. Frankly, we're just getting warmed up!

While 2010 may not have been much to write home about in terms of newly launched MMOs, there was more than enough controversy to keep the discussion brewing for months. MMOs are big business, and when every move you make is closely scrutinized by millions of gamers, there's no room to slip up unless you like forum hyenas pouncing all over you, snapping and snarling at your faulty flesh.

So let's take a jaunt down our top 10 list of the most controversial stories of 2010 on Massively, keeping in mind that it was devilishly hard just to keep this list to 10 at all. What's a week without being riled up about pixels and polygons, after all?

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: Most controversial MMO stories of 2010 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advisory-councilalganonallodsallods-onlineapocryphaAtaribethesdaBethesda-Softworksc-storeccpCCP-GamescodemasterscontroversyCraig-Zinkievichcrypticcryptic-studiosdavid-allenddoddo-offer-walldelayderek-smartdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeaea-lousElectronic-Artsend-of-the-year-2010europeeuropean-games-awardseveeve-onlinefeaturedfinal-fantasy-14final-fantasy-xivgpotatointerplaylaglawsuitlegallord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromythicMythic-Entertainmentoffer-wallragequitsquare-enixstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-the-old-republicstostockstockholderswtorthe-old-republictorturbinewarWarhammer-OnlineThu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Codemasters files suit over Jumpgate Evolution delays]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/codemasters-files-suit-over-jumpgate-evolution-delays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/codemasters-files-suit-over-jumpgate-evolution-delays/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/06/codemasters-files-suit-over-jumpgate-evolution-delays/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

We have all been waiting for Jumpgate Evolution for quite some time, but perhaps no one quite as much as Codemasters. As a matter of fact, the company is so tired of waiting on the game to come out that it's decided to file a civil complaint against Netdevil and its parent company Gazillion Entertainment for the delays in publishing the eagerly anticipated sci-fi space shooter.

While the announcement on Codemasters' official Jumpgate Evolution site doesn't offer anything beyond the generic "yes, we did this, here's what court we filed it in, no other comment at this time" statement, the court document itself makes for interesting (if dry) reading. Essentially, Codemasters charges that Netdevil failed to meet contractual guidelines, which called for the studio to ship the game by February 24th, 2009. During that time, Codemasters paid almost 1.4 million USD to Netdevil to help underwrite the game's development and for "art assets." Codemasters is also seeking compensation due to setting up servers, website, community team, etc. for the European version of Jumpgate Evolution. Ultimately, it boils down to a pretty standard breach of contract that offers Codemasters' share of interest back to Netdevil and Gazillion in return for all monies invested in the project to date. Whether or not this brouhaha will cause any changes to the timetable for Jumpgate Evolution will remain to be seen. We'll keep an eye out as the case progresses.

[Thanks, Merketh!]

MassivelyCodemasters files suit over Jumpgate Evolution delays originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breach-of-contractCodemasterscodemasters-onlinegazilliongazillion-entertainmentjgejumpgatejumpgate-evolutionlawsuitnetdevilMon, 06 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Trion Worlds v. Palladium lawsuit draws to a close]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/trion-worlds-v-palladium-lawsuit-draws-to-a-close/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/trion-worlds-v-palladium-lawsuit-draws-to-a-close/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/trion-worlds-v-palladium-lawsuit-draws-to-a-close/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The long-running legal skirmish between MMORPG maker Trion Worlds and pen-and-paper RPG publisher Palladium Books is apparently drawing to a close. Trask over at LivingDice.com brings us word that the two parties have submitted a "Joint Stipulation of Dismissal," which in a nutshell, closes all claims and counterclaims and stipulates that both parties will cover their own legal costs.

Trask goes on to speculate that the final settlement may never be known, as the joint filing effectively ends the lawsuit behind closed doors and casts doubt on whether either party would gain much by making the details public. The lawsuit was originally filed last May and centered on trademark infringement regarding the Rifts name as used by Trion in their forthcoming Rift: Planes of Telara MMORPG.

MassivelyTrion Worlds v. Palladium lawsuit draws to a close originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lawsuitpalladiumpalladium-booksriftrift-lawsuitrift-planes-of-telarariftstriontrion-world-networktrion-worldsTue, 26 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Zynga sued over Facebook privacy breaches]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/zynga-sued-over-facebook-privacy-breaches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/zynga-sued-over-facebook-privacy-breaches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/10/20/zynga-sued-over-facebook-privacy-breaches/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Zynga and its stable of Facebook games have never exactly won the hearts of MMO fans, but they've managed to avoid a lawsuit up until now. Unfortunately for them, a class-action lawsuit has been filed today seeking monetary relief for the unwarranted and undesirable release of private information. Filed by Nancy Graf of St. Paul, MN, the suit also seeks an injunction to prevent a similar incident from occurring in the future, in a direct response to Monday's news that several games and applications have been leaking private information.

Although Zynga was listed among the companies sending out private information, the company is claiming that the lawsuit is wholly without merit and will be fought accordingly. The full details on the suit are available from Gamasutra, with the security breaches still apparently being labeled as unintentional results as they were on Monday. We'll have more on the story as it develops, although it seems to be a definite black eye for one of the largest social gaming companies on the web.

MassivelyZynga sued over Facebook privacy breaches originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>class-action-suitfacebookfacebook-gamesfarmvillelawsuitlegalprivacyprivacy-issuesprivacy-leaksocial-gamingzyngaWed, 20 Oct 2010 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Exploring Eberron: Neverwinter nightcaps]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/exploring-eberron-neverwinter-nightcaps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/exploring-eberron-neverwinter-nightcaps/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/27/exploring-eberron-neverwinter-nightcaps/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Depending on how much stock you put in the rumors or in Cryptic in general, this past week's announcement of a second Dungeons & Dragons MMO -- pardon me, an "OMG" -- either rocked you back on your heels or cooled off your heels. Something to do with heels, at any rate.

In a Daily Grind this past May, I asked readers how they would make another D&D MMO. There were a lot of thoughtful responses, a few instances of keyboard gibberish, and a contingent adamant that the D&D license was locked up in DDO and couldn't be handed out elsewhere. I guess the latter argument is a moot point right now -- obviously, Turbine doesn't have a monopoly on an online D&D -- although its existence brings to mind not just a few questions.

Is the world big enough for two online D&D titles? What does this announcement mean for our beloved DDO? Is Neverwinter positioning itself to be direct competition, or a different entity altogether? Has the Cryptic crew learned its lessons? In my final Exploring Eberron (Rubi returns next week, so you may start doing your happy dance... now), I'm going to answer all of these queries in such a way that your world will forever be rocked. On its heels.

Continue reading Exploring Eberron: Neverwinter nightcaps

MassivelyExploring Eberron: Neverwinter nightcaps originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.5atarichampions-onlinecoco-opcrypticcryptic-studiosddodnddont-be-a-heelDungeons-and-Dragonsdungeons-and-dragons-onlineeberronexploring-eberronf2pfaerunfeaturedforgotten-realmsfourth-editionfree-to-playftpguild-warsjack-emmertlawsuitneverwinterNeverwinter-Nightsneverwinter-nights-2neverwinter-nights-mmoomgplanescapeplayer-generated-contentso-long-and-thanks-for-all-the-fishstar-trek-onlinestothe-return-of-rubiturbineturbine-vs-atariFri, 27 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/20/ncsoft-sued-for-making-lineage-ii-too-darned-addicting/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Can a video game publisher be successfully sued for releasing a game that makes players want to play it compulsively? That's the question of the hour in the USA, as Lineage II player Craig Smallwood levied a $3 million negligence suit against NCsoft for making the game too addictive. Smallwood found himself playing the MMO for over 20,000 hours in the last five years, to the point where he is unable to function normally in real life -- and he claims it's NCsoft's fault for not warning him in advance. Smallwood's gameplay averaged around 11 hours per day during that period.

Surprisingly, a federal judge has allowed the suit to proceed against the South Korean publisher, stating that "the court finds that plaintiff has stated a claim for both negligence and gross negligence." NCsoft has appealed and asked the judge to dismiss the case. The situation gets more interesting when you consider that Smallwood had his Lineage II accounts banned for alleged grey market RMT activity, although he claims that was a ploy by NCsoft to force players like himself to move over to Aion.

Video game addiction is no new issue, to be sure, but it's interesting that this case seeks to shift the blame from the player to the game company itself. This raises a whole host of new questions. Should publishers be required to slap their products with warning labels? Is there no personal responsibility when it comes to playing MMORPGs? We will have to wait and see if Smallwood's suit succeeds, and what, if any, fallout may occur from the attempt.

MassivelyNCsoft sued for making Lineage II too darned addictive originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>addictingaddictionaioncraig-smallwoodlawsuitlineage-2lineage-iimmo-addictionncsoftnegligencermtsuitvideo-game-addictionFri, 20 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Blizzard awarded $88M from WoW private server lawsuit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/blizzard-awarded-88m-from-wow-private-server-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/blizzard-awarded-88m-from-wow-private-server-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/blizzard-awarded-88m-from-wow-private-server-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Private game servers are a controversial, often hushed topic in gaming circles. Some gamers enjoy the fee-free nature of private servers, while others use these forbidden realms to experience the MMO in a different state than the live game (for example, playing on a "classic" private server that doesn't allow for expansion packs). No matter what the reason, game companies tend to frown on such activities. Last week, Blizzard frowned at a particular private server and was awarded $88,000,000 for the effort.

In October 2009, Blizzard filed a suit against Alyson Reeves, owner of Scapegaming and a private World of Warcraft server. Reeves was making a profit from the enterprise, using microtransactions on the server. The judge ruled that this was indeed copyright infringement against Blizzard, and ordered Scapegaming to pay $85.5M in statutory damages, $3M in inappropriate profits, and $63,600 in attorney fees. Reeves may appeal the suit at this point.

As with the bnetd case, Blizzard is sending a clear message to people trying to mess with their code: don't. Scapegaming's Facebook page isn't exactly overflowing with support for the company, and we can imagine that many private server operators are thinking long and hard about whether the risk is worth it this week.

MassivelyBlizzard awarded $88M from WoW private server lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>88-million-smackersalyson-reevesblizzardbnetdclassic-serverfacebooklawsuitmicrotransactionsprivate-serverprivate-serversscapegamingstatutory-damagesworld-of-warcraftwowMon, 16 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Richard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/richard-garriott-wins-lawsuit-against-ncsoft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/richard-garriott-wins-lawsuit-against-ncsoft/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/30/richard-garriott-wins-lawsuit-against-ncsoft/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Over a year ago, Richard Garriott filed a lawsuit against his former employer, NCsoft.

There was a lot of back and forth regarding who said what, but the crux of the suit was that Garriott claimed NCsoft terminated him, costing him millions, as he was forced to sell his stock options at a bad time. NCsoft claimed that the opposite was true: Garriott left voluntarily. There was quite a bit more regarding a forged letter and the handling of Tabula Rasa, but in the end, the decision focused on the loss of profit from the stock options.

After several hours of deliberation, the jury awarded Garriott $28M USD to compensate for that loss. Garriott is "extremely pleased," but NCsoft is not finished yet. The company plans to look over its options and continue fighting the suit. Keep your eye on Massively for any updates on the case.

MassivelyRichard Garriott wins lawsuit against NCsoft originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lawsuitlegalncsoftrichard-garriottrichard-garriott-lawsuitstock-optionstabula-rasaFri, 30 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Petroglyph and True Games resolve lawsuit, announce launch date for Mytheon]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/01/petroglyph-and-true-games-resolve-lawsuit-announce-launch-date/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/01/petroglyph-and-true-games-resolve-lawsuit-announce-launch-date/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/06/01/petroglyph-and-true-games-resolve-lawsuit-announce-launch-date/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The last major news we heard about fantasy MMO Mytheon was regarding a legal skirmish. Publisher True Games was suing developer Petroglyph for the Mytheon source code, citing a long list of actions on Petroglyph's part which prevented the game from seeing release.

In a surprise announcement, the two companies announced today that they have resolved their differences and are set for a July 13th launch. While it seems like a dangerously short leap from lawsuit to launch, keep in mind that Mytheon was originally scheduled to be ready for release last November.

Chuck Kroegel, CEO of Petroglyph, sums up the decision: "From the beginning, we have been committed to creating a critically and commercially successful online game that brings something fresh to this space. Despite the fact that neither company acknowledged or admitted any wrongdoing, both companies recognized this mutual agreement as the right step, especially for the players with the official release of Mytheon to the world this summer. We've received a great deal of positive feedback on the game, from both the media and the community, and we encourage online gaming fans to jump into the ongoing open beta test and experience Mytheon's unique gameplay and amazing mythological world."

Beta signups are available on the game's site.

MassivelyPetroglyph and True Games resolve lawsuit, announce launch date for Mytheon originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chuck-kroegellaunchlaunch-datelawsuitmytheonmytheon-lawsuitpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamesTrue-Gamestrue-games-interactiveTue, 01 Jun 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Breaking: Palladium Books sues Trion Worlds over "Rifts" title]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/palladium-books-sues-trion-worlds-over-rifts-title/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/palladium-books-sues-trion-worlds-over-rifts-title/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/palladium-books-sues-trion-worlds-over-rifts-title/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back at the end of April, we heard a fair amount of news from Trion Worlds, including the name change of Heroes of Telara. The name change came about during testing and development as the game's portals or "rifts" emerged as a central feature of the game, inspiring the new name Rift: Planes of Telara.

Evidently MMO fans weren't the only ones that heard this news. Palladium Books has filed a lawsuit citing trademark infringement of the name of Palladium's popular long-standing RPG, similarly titled "Rifts." If you're unfamiliar with the title, Palladium's version of Rifts is a PnP game centered around rifts that open on earth, exposing the players to monsters and elements from many other lands -- a very familiar concept. Rifts is Palladium's primary and most familiar IP, so they are understandably anxious to protect it.

Not much is known about the lawsuit at this point other than "it was filed." Basic details such as the parties involved and Palladium's sources are available, and we'll keep our eye out for more information over the next few weeks.

MassivelyBreaking: Palladium Books sues Trion Worlds over "Rifts" title originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakinglawsuitpalladiumpalladium-booksriftrift-planes-of-telarariftsrpgtrion-world-networkTue, 11 May 2010 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[True Games Interactive sues Petroglyph for Mytheon source code]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/true-games-interactive-sues-petroglyph-for-mytheon-source-code/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/true-games-interactive-sues-petroglyph-for-mytheon-source-code/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/true-games-interactive-sues-petroglyph-for-mytheon-source-code/#commentsFiled under: , ,

MMORTS Mytheon has hit a development snag: True Games is suing developer Petroglyph, claiming that the company has failed to deliver what was promised -- a working game -- and is preventing True Games from doing so as well by refusing to release the source code.

According to the court documents, the original agreement required Petroglyph to deliver a "Gold Master" (ready for distribution) copy of the game by November 15th, 2009 -- a delivery date later amended to February 1st, 2010. In mid-March, Petroglyph stated that a Gold Master version of Mytheon should be ready by the end of March, but additional funding was needed. The publishable copy was not received by the end of March.

True Games' complaints can be summed up in a short paragraph from the official document: "The repeated, unreasonable demands by Petroglyph for additional funds and concessions, combined with Petroglyph's apparent unwillingness or inability to deliver the final product, poisoned the working relationship between TGI and Petroglyph, such that the entire multi-million dollar venture is in danger of collapsing."

For Petroglyph's part, CEO Chuck Kroegel claims: "It was NEVER conceived to be a full-blown MMO, which costs upwards of $15 million and three to five years to complete. The trend, however, over the last months has been to move this game to the scope of a full-blown MMO."

The full court document has all the details.

MassivelyTrue Games Interactive sues Petroglyph for Mytheon source code originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lawsuitmytheonpetroglyphpetroglyph-gamessource-codeTrue-Gamestrue-games-interactiveTue, 11 May 2010 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Curse.com sued by Games Workshop over Warhammer Alliance's name]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/curse-com-sued-by-games-workshop-over-warhammer-alliances-name/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/curse-com-sued-by-games-workshop-over-warhammer-alliances-name/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/07/curse-com-sued-by-games-workshop-over-warhammer-alliances-name/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Members of Warhammer Online fansite WarhammerAlliance.com found a startling announcement posted on the site today: "We wanted to inform our community here on WarhammerAlliance.com that Games Workshop has filed lawsuit against Curse for operating and maintaining WarhammerAlliance.com."

A look at the official complaint revealed a litany of allegations including cybersquatting, unfair competition, dilution (of the IP), and more. Part of Games Workshop's problem with all of this, according to the complaint is that Curse's use of the Warhammer name and trademarks "literally states and implies that Defendant and their business are in an "alliance" with Plaintiff and its products and services offered under the WARHAMMER Marks," and that this "conduct as aforesaid has caused great and irreparable injury to Plaintiff, and unless such conduct is enjoined, it will continue and Plaintiff will continue to suffer great and irreparable injury."

Not much is known at this point beyond the complaint document from Games Workshop and the forum announcement on the WarhammerAlliance site, but we will certainly keep our eyes open for new information as it comes.

[Thanks to everyone who sent us emails on this!]

MassivelyCurse.com sued by Games Workshop over Warhammer Alliance's name originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 07 May 2010 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcursecurse.comgames-workshoplawsuitwarwarhammer-allianceWarhammer-OnlinewarhammerallianceFri, 07 May 2010 22:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Worlds.com vs. NCsoft lawsuit settled]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/worlds-com-vs-ncsoft-lawsuit-settled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/worlds-com-vs-ncsoft-lawsuit-settled/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/27/worlds-com-vs-ncsoft-lawsuit-settled/#commentsFiled under: ,

It's been a little over a year since Worlds.com went after NCsoft in a lawsuit citing patent infringement. Worlds.com alleged that NCsoft violated patents for scalable chat as well as a system of interacting in a virtual space, and the battle was on. Now, 16 months after it began, the matter is settled -- literally.

Virtual Worlds News reported this morning that the lawsuit has been dismissed due to a settlement between the two parties. The terms of the settlement are confidential as are the reasons behind it, but it may well be that Worlds.com president and sole full-time employee Thomas Kidrin has simply exhausted his resources. Kidrin was recently quoted as saying "if we do not develop any new projects, we would have to severely diminish our operations or halt them entirely," so going toe-to-toe with NCsoft was a pretty ambitious project.

MassivelyWorlds.com vs. NCsoft lawsuit settled originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lawsuitncsoftpatentthomas-kidrinworlds.comworlds.com-vs-ncsoftTue, 27 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Quest Online responds to David Allen lawsuit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/26/quest-online-responds-to-david-allen-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/26/quest-online-responds-to-david-allen-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/26/quest-online-responds-to-david-allen-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Lawsuits aren't necessarily a fact of life in the world of video games, but they seem to be a bit favored over words when two parties just can't seem to get along. David Allen, the gentleman formerly in charge of Alganon's development, has opted for legal action in the matter of his removal from the company, which was followed by Derek Smart taking his position. While Smart has responded to Allen on his personal blog, Quest Online has taken the opportunity to attempt to put the record straight in a more official capacity.

According to the official statement, "the company's members, forced to make a decision between David Allen and Derek Smart, unanimously voted to remove Mr. Allen as managing member thereby leaving Derek Smart as President of the company." Those who have been following the debate since the beginning will note that this matches Smart's depiction of events. The company states that it will defend itself against untrue allegations by Mr. Allen, and that they are confident the courts will see that there were no unfair actions taken on their part. The unfolding legal drama certainly has succeeded in stirring up more interest in Alganon, but only time will tell how the legal side will play out.

MassivelyQuest Online responds to David Allen lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alganondavid-allenderek-smartlawsuitlegal-actionlegal-battleqolquest-onlineremovalMon, 26 Apr 2010 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Breaking: Bethesda drops Fallout MMO lawsuit [Update: Bethesda denies report]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/breaking-bethesda-drops-fallout-mmo-lawsuit-interplay-given-go/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/breaking-bethesda-drops-fallout-mmo-lawsuit-interplay-given-go/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/04/22/breaking-bethesda-drops-fallout-mmo-lawsuit-interplay-given-go/#commentsFiled under: , ,

[Update: A Bethesda spokesperson told Joystiq, "It's an ongoing legal matter. I don't know where whoever reported that got their information, but it is ongoing and we are going to see how it plays out in court." So there you have it - Interplay and Bethesda haven't made nice just yet. Original post follows.]

Do you hear that? That is the hushed sound of pre-squee joy from millions of Fallout fans who will be thrilled to hear that Bethesda has abruptly dropped their lawsuit against Interplay, freeing up the latter company to go ahead with a Fallout MMO (also known as "Project V13"). Duck and Cover got the scoop from Interplay investor "Frymuchan," who hinted at a secret deal between the two companies:

"Bethesda dropped their appeal of the lawsuit with Interplay and a secret deal was struck (maybe they will release the terms of the deal soon, probably so). Anyways, this is awesome news for Interplay stock. The appeal by Bethesda was dropped yesterday. I'm assuming part of the deal was that Interplay drop their countersuit against Bethesda."

For fans of the franchise who have been dismayed at the lawsuit -- which has been dragging on for months at this point -- this presents great hope for the much-anticipated Fallout MMO to actually see development and release. We'll be sure to bring you the official word from either Bethesda or Interplay when it happens.

Gallery: Fallout MMO Concepts

DesertFactoryGraveyardSurvivor

MassivelyBreaking: Bethesda drops Fallout MMO lawsuit [Update: Bethesda denies report] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 22 Apr 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabreakingfalloutfallout-2fallout-3fallout-mmointerplayinterplay-entertainmentlawsuitThu, 22 Apr 2010 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The9 sees enormous drop in profits after split with Blizzard]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/the9-sees-enormous-drop-in-profits-after-split-with-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/the9-sees-enormous-drop-in-profits-after-split-with-blizzard/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/29/the9-sees-enormous-drop-in-profits-after-split-with-blizzard/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

In a news story that we're sure will surprise precisely nobody at all, The9 -- China's previous operator for World of Warcraft -- has reported a serious decline in profits for this last quarter. Since last year when The9 still had World of Warcraft in its stable of games to now, they have seen a staggering 94% drop in revenue. Since the split became final in June of this year, there was also a 91% drop between last quarter and this one. Between The9's lawsuit against Blizzard for (among other things) software copyright infringement and selling nearly 15% of its shares to Activision Blizzard competitor, EA, The9 has pretty well ensured that there's never going to be any kissing-and-making-up over this whole mess.

Still, not everything is completely negative for The9. In the on-again-off-again World of Warcraft presence in the Chinese market altogether, owing to the squabble between The Ministry of Culture and the General Administration of the Press and Publication (GAPP), they've seen an increase in players from when they initially lost World of Warcraft. According to reports, the increase -- a modest bump from 3.2 to 3.4 million players -- is owing largely to a new update to Soul of the Ultimate Nation, as well as their other games Sword of the New World, FIFA Online, and Atlantica Online. Now, so long as more of their shareholders don't wind up suing them for making misleading statements about their connection with Blizzard, things might just start looking up for this former major player in the Chinese MMO market.

MassivelyThe9 sees enormous drop in profits after split with Blizzard originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardchinaealawsuitlegal-problemsprofitsthe9world-of-warcraftwowyear-on-yearyear-over-yearyoySun, 29 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Interplay's in-house lawyer corrects Fallout MMO injunction rumors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/interplays-in-house-lawyer-corrects-fallout-mmo-injunction-rumo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/interplays-in-house-lawyer-corrects-fallout-mmo-injunction-rumo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/30/interplays-in-house-lawyer-corrects-fallout-mmo-injunction-rumo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Interplay and Bethesda are continuing to tussle in court over the proposed Fallout MMO, and you may have heard news earlier this week about Interplay's triumph over Bethesda in regards to a preliminary injunction. Well, don't get too excited just yet, because unfortunately it looks like reports got misinterpreted.

Interplay's in-house lawyer jumped in today to correct the rumors that have been flying around for the past few days at various Fallout fansites. Read what he had to say after the jump.

Gallery: Fallout MMO Concepts

DesertFactoryGraveyardSurvivor



Continue reading Interplay's in-house lawyer corrects Fallout MMO injunction rumors

MassivelyInterplay's in-house lawyer corrects Fallout MMO injunction rumors originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksbreaking newsBreakingNewsfalloutfallout-3fallout-mmointerplaylawsuitlegalFri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony, Turbine, Jagex, Blizzard, and NCsoft named in patent infringement lawsuit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/sony-turbine-jagex-blizzard-and-ncsoft-named-in-patent-infri/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/sony-turbine-jagex-blizzard-and-ncsoft-named-in-patent-infri/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/16/sony-turbine-jagex-blizzard-and-ncsoft-named-in-patent-infri/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


It seems to be a World of Lawsuits (TM) recently in our industry. Bloggers are being sued for libel, NCsoft is being sued for patent infringement, Linden Labs is being sued for trademark violations, Turbine is suing Atari, and now five companies are all being sued over a patent dispute.

The Boston Globe has reported that Paltalk Holdings Inc. has filed a complaint in Texas against Sony Corp., Activision Blizzard Inc., Turbine Inc., NCsoft Corp., and Jagex Ltd. all for games that violate their patent on computers sharing data so that all users can see the same virtual environment. The games in question are EverQuest, World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online, Guild Wars, and RuneScape (in order of the companies as named above.)

What makes this lawsuit different from the standard patent shakedowns that we've been reporting on is that the patent has already been successfully used in court. Paltalk has already sued, and won against, Microsoft.

Continue reading Sony, Turbine, Jagex, Blizzard, and NCsoft named in patent infringement lawsuit

MassivelySony, Turbine, Jagex, Blizzard, and NCsoft named in patent infringement lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activision-blizzardblizzardbreakingeverquestguild-warshalohalo-2jagexlawsuitlegallord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromicrosoftncsoftpaltalksettlementsoesony-corpturbineworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 16 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Blogger sued by Evony for defamation, libel]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/blogger-sued-by-evony-for-defamation-libel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/blogger-sued-by-evony-for-defamation-libel/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/14/blogger-sued-by-evony-for-defamation-libel/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Serve me now, my lord!

Blogger Bruce Everiss, author of the website BruceOnGames.com, has been sued by Evony LLC, the company behind the notorious online webgame Evony, formerly Civony. The suit stems from Bruce's Evony coverage and critical stance towards the game, including his assertions that Evony LLC is a company under the WoWmine.org network (a site that is allegedly part of a World of Warcraft gold farming network), his statements concerning the company being based in China, and that their game has infringed on other game IPs, including Civilization and Age of Empires.

Evony usually comes under fire for their very transparent marketing strategy, which is usually slapping a hot woman (who has nothing to do with their civilization/empire building MMORTS) onto an ad to entice gamers to click. However, as we posted prior, some bloggers have found some content that was directly ripped off from Civilization and Age of Empires, however the Age of Empires assets have been removed from the current iteration of the game.

Continue reading Blogger sued by Evony for defamation, libel

MassivelyBlogger sued by Evony for defamation, libel originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-empiresbreakingbruce-everissbruce-on-gamesbruceongames.comcivilizationcivonydefamationevonylawsuitlegalmmortssid-meiers-civilizationumge.comuniversal-multiplayer-game-entertainmentMon, 14 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Bethesda and Interplay lock legal horns over Fallout MMO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/bethesda-and-interplay-lock-legal-horns-over-fallout-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/bethesda-and-interplay-lock-legal-horns-over-fallout-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/11/bethesda-and-interplay-lock-legal-horns-over-fallout-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , ,


In a month of lawsuits, another one has hit the table. This time the participants are Bethesda Softworks, best known for The Elder Scrolls series of games and the recent hit Fallout 3, and Interplay, the original holders of the Fallout license.

The lawsuit stems from the longstanding agreements between the companies regarding the Fallout IP. Namely Bethesda was allowed to take the rights to the IP except for the case of a Fallout MMO, which would be under the control of Interplay. Interplay would keep these rights as long as they secured funding for the game and began production by April.

Bethesda is asserting that Interplay has breached their agreement, citing that development on the title (which has been hidden under the thinly disguised title "Project V13," standing for "Vault 13," a shelter in the Fallout universe) has not yet begun. Interplay asserts that it still holds the rights to develop Project V13 with the assistance of Masthead Studios, the group behind the upcoming post-apocalyptic sci-fi MMO Earthrise.

Want more info? The legal documents regarding the suit have been unearthed, and are ready for your perusal.

[Via VG247]

MassivelyBethesda and Interplay lock legal horns over Fallout MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bethesdabethesda-softworksfallout-3fallout-ipfallout-mmointerplayinterplay-entertainmentlawsuitlegalproject-v13Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Breaking: Turbine sues Atari over Dungeons and Dragons Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/breaking-turbine-sues-atari-over-dungeons-and-dragons-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/breaking-turbine-sues-atari-over-dungeons-and-dragons-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/breaking-turbine-sues-atari-over-dungeons-and-dragons-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Turbine has filed a lawsuit against publishing partner Atari in New York courts for a breach of licensing agreement all centered around Dungeons and Dragons Online. The two companies are locked in a legal battle regarding accusations including failing contractual obligations and wrongful termination of agreements.

The court documents filed on Monday paint the picture of a long chain of grievances against Atari made by Turbine, starting with lackluster support all the way back when Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach launched in 2006. Turbine asserts that Atari has failed to maintain their obligations as the publisher of the game while still holding onto the licensing for Dungeons and Dragons. These obligations mostly include the marketing aspects of the game, such as commercials, advertising, retail box creation, retail promotion, and cross-promotion with other Atari products. (Fans of the game will remember the very lackluster marketing campaign at the game's launch, especially when compared with Champions Online's marketing, another Atari-backed game.) Because of these failures, Turbine has had to step in and become the publisher of the game in North America, costing the company millions of dollars.

Continue reading Breaking: Turbine sues Atari over Dungeons and Dragons Online

MassivelyBreaking: Turbine sues Atari over Dungeons and Dragons Online originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ataribreach-of-contractbreakingcontractddoddo-unlimiteddungeons-and-dragons-onlinelawsuitobligationspublisherturbineWed, 26 Aug 2009 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Square-Enix sued over "hidden fees" in Final Fantasy XI]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/square-enix-sued-over-hidden-fees-in-final-fantasy-xi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/square-enix-sued-over-hidden-fees-in-final-fantasy-xi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/06/25/square-enix-sued-over-hidden-fees-in-final-fantasy-xi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

A class action lawsuit has been filed earlier this week against Square-Enix North America for intentionally deceiving customers regarding hidden penalties and fees associated with the PlayOnline and Final Fantasy XI service.

The suit, filed on behalf of Esther Leong of San Francisco, is seeking over 5 million in damages. The suit also goes on to specifically list the penalties for the late payment of fees, the interest charges for unpaid fees, charges that occur while the game account is suspended, termination of game service for unpaid fees, and the termination of game data due to the late payment of fees as the specific causes of this lawsuit.

In Square-Enix's defense, however, the suit also lists the standard monthly subscription as being intentionally decieving. Final Fantasy XI's case does, in fact, say that additional online fees would be required and it also has a large sticker announcing "Free subscription for 30 days!" on the front of the box -- something more than most online games provide regarding their subscriptions.

We have contacted Square-Enix, and are currently waiting for their response to this matter.

[Via IGN.com]

MassivelySquare-Enix sued over "hidden fees" in Final Fantasy XI originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingbreakingnewscancellationcancellation-feesclass-action-lawsuitdeceptionfeesffxifinal-fantasy-xilawsuitlegalmonthly-feessquare-enixThu, 25 Jun 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Massively Speaking Episode 53: Baltimore Games Day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/massively-speaking-episode-53-baltimore-games-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/massively-speaking-episode-53-baltimore-games-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/13/massively-speaking-episode-53-baltimore-games-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Massively Speaking Episode 53 sees the return of Contributing Editor Colin Brennan as the news topics discussed include City of Heroes' latest expansion, SWTOR's Trooper class and Richard Garriott v. NCsoft. Plus, Colin gets to tell us his first-hand experiences he had at the Baltimore Games Day last weekend with Mythic. Look for tons more interviews and feature articles coming from Colin on what he saw.

Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot us an email to podcast AT massively DOT com. Maybe we'll read your letter on the air!

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Read below the cut for the full show notes.

Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 53: Baltimore Games Day

MassivelyMassively Speaking Episode 53: Baltimore Games Day originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 13 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredlawsuitmassively-speakingmythicncsoftpodcastingpodcastsrichard-garriottstygian-abyssswtorthe-old-republicultima-onlineWed, 13 May 2009 13:00:00 ESTMassively Speaking Episode 53Massively.com Staff45:03podcasts<![CDATA[Richard Garriott blasts NCsoft with $24 million lawsuit]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/richard-garriott-blasts-ncsoft-with-24-million-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/richard-garriott-blasts-ncsoft-with-24-million-lawsuit/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/05/06/richard-garriott-blasts-ncsoft-with-24-million-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

When Tabula Rasa shut down in January, we thought we'd heard the last of NCsoft and Richard Garriott in the same sentence. Oh, how wrong we were. Yesterday, Kotaku broke the news that Garriott was suing his old pals at NCsoft to the tune of $24 million for fraud, and generally being a bunch of fetid arsebiscuits. Details were decidedly skimpy, however - why would Garriott go after the company so long after his departure? What had gone rotten in the state of Denmark?

This morning, GamePolitics added their .02 to the mix and upped the ante with the legal documents involved - and boy, are they illuminating. According to Richard's side of the story, it goes like this: Richard & co form Destination Games, and are bought out by NCsoft in exchange for some very hefty stock options. After Tabula Rasa launches, Richard gets tapped for a space flight he signed up for some years prior. After talking to NCsoft higher-ups, he is approved for, and goes on, extended leave to take his space flight. During this time, he continues doing PR for Tabula Rasa, including Operation Immortality. Flight (and PR stunt) successful, Richard touches down to Earth, goes into quarantine in Russia, and NCsoft calls him to drop the hammer - while he's stuck in Russia, decontaminating. No choice, no warning, nothing. "So long, and thanks for all the Bane."

Continue reading Richard Garriott blasts NCsoft with $24 million lawsuit

MassivelyRichard Garriott blasts NCsoft with $24 million lawsuit originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingdestination-gameslawsuitrgtrrichard-garriottstock-optionstabula-rasatrWed, 06 May 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment sued over unpaid bills]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/cheyenne-mountain-entertainment-sued-over-unpaid-bills/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/cheyenne-mountain-entertainment-sued-over-unpaid-bills/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/17/cheyenne-mountain-entertainment-sued-over-unpaid-bills/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


The developers of Stargate Worlds, Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment, has already admitted to cash flow problems. They also have had problems with not paying their employees for at least 25 days of service. Now, problems are looking even worse for the Stargate Worlds developer as they find themselves the target of a lawsuit over unpaid bills.

Capital Princess LLC has sued Cheyenne Mountain over an unpaid open account, according to the Arizona Business Gazette on azcentral.com as of March 5th. This just adds to the problems of the unreleased game, which makes us all nervous and wishful that Stargate Worlds will reach completion.

We'll keep you informed on this situation as we get more information.

MassivelyCheyenne Mountain Entertainment sued over unpaid bills originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingcapital-princesscashflowcheyenne-mountaincheyenne-mountain-entertainmentcivilcivil-lawsuitlawsuitlegalstargatestargate-worldsunpaid-billsTue, 17 Mar 2009 15:15:00 EST