Neoseeker : News : Level-5 responds to SEGA lawsuit over Inazuma Eleven, claims innocence and won't pay $11 million

Level-5 responds to SEGA lawsuit over Inazuma Eleven, claims innocence and won't pay $11 million

Lydia Sung - Wednesday, December 12, 2012 5:12pm (PST) Like +my favourites

They make a pretty compelling argument, too

SEGA is slapping Professor Layton developer Level-5 with a lawsuit and demanding quite a bit in compensation, but Level-5's not about to give up without a fight. Rather, the studio says they're "uncomfortable" with the lawsuit, and plan to take SEGA to court over the matter. They've released an official statement that mostly discounts SEGA's claims and calls the company out on their shenanigans.

The whole issue is over some alleged patent infringements, specifically over Level-5's successful soccer RPG series Inazuma Eleven. SEGA wasn't particularly forthcoming when it came down to how patents were violated, but it has something to do with the game's touch controls. Well, Level-5 disagrees, and they've made a pretty compelling argument in pointing out exactly why SEGA is completely in the wrong here.

In their statement (in Japanese), the developer states, "Inazuma Eleven does not violate SEGA's patents."

The studio points out that the first Inazuma Eleven title was released back in August 2008, while SEGA supposedly received their first patent in 2009. The second patent followed two years after in 2011, and Level-5 was sure to point out games were using touch pen controls well before SEGA filed for these patents.

"As a result of examining these discrepancies, we've concluded that there is no patent violation," they said.

"While Inazuma Eleven does not violate Sega's patent, we do recognize that Sega's lawsuit could restrict choices in gaming from here on out as well as hindering the growth of the game industry."

Source: Level-5

Alternate Source: Kotaku

Sections: Nintendo Consoles, Handheld Games

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SEGA aims lawsuit at Professor Layton developer Level-5, claims patent...

December 11, 12

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3 thumbs! ^

Shadic Hearts Dec 12, 12

That's SEGA all right.

0 thumbs! ^

Superlucario Dec 12, 12

Definantly SEGA.

0 thumbs! ^

A Person Dec 12, 12

Tired of eating the big *bleep*, eh SEGA?

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DragonSlayer45 Dec 12, 12

Way to go Level-5. If something this trivial is going to be brought to ourt, I hope they win this case.

0 thumbs! ^

rpg Dec 12, 12

The thing that boggles my mind is that there is a patent(s?) on how touch screen controls are used in the first place, just starting there.
Heck even any type of game controls

The biggest thing is the last bit of this article about how things like this can restrict gaming choices.
I'd feel better if I never knew such patents like this existed....

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Wakaman Dec 12, 12

Yeah, good for them I say. Don't let Sega push y'all around just for the sake of it.

This is by far, FAR, the most idiotic lawsuit I've seen in a while.

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Aevers Dec 13, 12

What's the patent, a control scheme? Silly Sega.

Go get them Level-5!

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jkoftekian Dec 13, 12

Im tired of all these pointless and ridiculous "patents". First Apple is mad cuz they cant catch up in the mobile market, and now Sega is mad cuz theyve been trampled for like 20 years-_-

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kin333x Dec 13, 12

Does this mean that if i made an FPS, i can't use standard WASD controls???
Does that mean that Infinity Ward, and Treyarch can sue every other fps game out there for using standard fps controls? Even Quake which was out years before CoD, can CoD sue?
No they can not. Its history, history meaning in the past, the sins of our fathers etc. If Sega is sueing for something as stupid as this, it makes 0 sense.

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Roy Dec 13, 12

What are they going to expect for them to have their own controls? If the controls are uncomfortable for gamers, then no one will be playing the game. So what if it's the same as SEGA's as long as they are not stealing copywritten material, why should it matter? This is bad on SEGA's behalf for accusations.

0 thumbs! ^

A Person Dec 13, 12

quote Roy
What are they going to expect for them to have their own controls? If the controls are uncomfortable for gamers, then no one will be playing the game. So what if it's the same as SEGA's as long as they are not stealing copywritten material, why should it matter? This is bad on SEGA's behalf for accusations.

It matters because business is business. From a competitor's view, having a patent for specific touch-screen controls on a device that primarily sells itself on similar features is brilliant. If the competition sucks, chances are people will turn to your product. In actuality, all it does is choke the devs and ultimately limit the range of games that hit shelves.

In this case, it sounds like SEGA's jealous their quality control dept flooded two years ago. With shit.

Last edited by A Person :: Dec 13, 12

0 thumbs! ^

KrystalDark Dec 13, 12

Oh SEGA...

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annihilate Dec 13, 12

Software patents are stupid altogether, nothing to do with SEGA, they're just exploiting it to avoid bankruptcy , last ditch effort.

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Insanity Prevails Dec 13, 12

It'd be useful to know precisely what it is about the control method that makes Sega think it's a patent infringement, because otherwise it just sounds so stupid. But hey, that's the world of patents in the video games market. I'm sure any company would patent the hell out of anything if they thought doing so could rake in money for them.

Not surprising Level-5 is disputing it. It would be more weird if they just went "oh you got us".