Someone should just flush the entire patent system down the toilet: ultimately, patent disputes are as tedious as they are frivolous. And anytime companies get involved in a gaming-oriented patent dispute, it's usually bad for gamers.

For example, Anascape Ltd, a Texas-based company, is alleging that Nintendo and Microsoft are in breach of no less than twelve of their controller patents. What patents are they? Very precise ones, naturally: "Remote Controller with Analog Button", "3D Controller With Vibration" and "Game Controller with Analogue Pressure Sensor" are the peachiest examples.

Obviously, Anascape wants an assload of money. Let's hope this ends differently than the Immersion rumble fiasco... I don't want to lose analog on my controller. Florian Eckhardt

Microsoft, Nintendo sued over games controller [Inquirer]

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