Harmonix sues KONAMI?

Guys, this might be the most ridiculous thing I've heard in my life.

Harmonix has sued Konami over patent infringements because of ROCK REVOLUTION. I'm not sure whether to be surprised or not...

Full Story available here

Discuss? I really can't believe this happened, hope it doesn't go through after all, cause if feels like we're just going in circles now. OBJECTION!

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Wow, this is rather ridiculous, it's not as if Rock Revolution is a huge threat to Rock Band in the same manner as Guitar Hero to GuitarFreaks...

Wow...just wow

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I thought Konami was suing Harmonix lol.

They did, I'm pretty sure it hasn't gone anywhere yet. Seriously, do you just have to make a good (or in this case otherwise) rhythm game to be sued these days? D:

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So, is this a countersuit to Konami's suit, or is it a completely different suit altogether?

So currently there's three lawsuits going;

KONAMI vs. Pentavision over DJ MAX.
KONAMI vs. Harmonix over Rock Band.
Harmonix vs. KONAMI over Rock Revolution.

And I predict another one for Scratch: The Ultimate DJ.

I'm confused. Doesn't Konami's patent for the Beatmania controller cover the Guitar Freaks AND the drummania controllers? Or are there three separate patents?

Apparently Harmonix is claiming that their controllers are "improvements" or something like that.

Considering the fact that Konami made Guitar Freaks and Drummania before Rock Band was ever created, this doesn't make any sense.

Improvements? I'd say it's the same thing!

Guitar - Hold button and strum, no change there.
Drum - Hit the pad, no change there.

Yeah really, Konami should be the only one allowed to sue as they were the first to give birth to the Guitar and Drum simulation games same for the Dance and DJ... How can a company come to sue Konami... Are they serious?

Guitar: Maybe...

Drums: AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

This is obviously a big failsuit in the making.

Wow these companies really need to chill the heck out. The competition really isn't that fierce, it's not like every 1st person shooting game out there is sueing each other. Most people buy/play a wide range of rhythm games anyways, and variety is always good.

[quote=amorite]

[quote=Bloomberg.com]
The Viacom patent, issued Dec. 2, claims it is an improvement of earlier video-game controllers that emulate musical instruments, and cites the Beatmania series of games by Konami as an example of the older inventions.

[/quote]

An "improvement" to earlier video-game controllers eh? So that's their way of saying they plagarized?

KONAMI will be sued!

Now come on, this is just silly, Harmonix.

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Oh! Oh! This story is so good, it must be fattening!

I can't help but think:

Harmonix = I steal your ideas then sue you for it!

To think Rock Band would be a serious competitor is a lofty goal for Konami. They should have known (and probably did) that they were copying a popular franchise and that their own would fizzle out. It's nothing to cry about if Harmonix wins this case.

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True, but seriously, I highly doubt they will win.

I bet Konami's gonna win, mainly because they've made DDR, IIDX, DM, and GF, all before Guitar Hero, Rock Band, DJ Hero, and Dance Hero (which I've never really seen...).

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