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Court Overturns Nintendo’s $30.2 Million Copyright Infringement Penalty
In 2013, Nintendo was found to have infringed on a patent owned by Tomita Technologies. The source of the conflict was the 3D display on the 3DS handhelds leading to a suit first filed in 2011.
Today, Nintendo has announced that a court has overturned a ruling that would have cost the company $30.2 million in damages. Federal Judge Jed Rakoff reversed the decision, finding that the 3DS performs differently and is more fully featured than what is present in Tomita’s patent.
Nintendo has a history of beating legal challenges, particular in the area of patent assertion. This case was notable for the company’s loss leading to assignment of a hefty penalty.
Our Take
Whether it’s because Nintendo is a ripe target or because it crows about its legal victories more, the company seems to find itself in legal conflict quite often. Depending on what the company plans to do to make the NX different than the competition, we could see a new wave of suits heat up in the coming year.
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