Microsoft Sued For $90 Million Over Halo Patent Infringement Claim
In what we’re calling one of those wtf moments…New York based PalTalk Holdings filed suit against Microsoft over 2 years ago, claiming that the software giant violated two patents with its Xbox Live service, singling out the multiplayer infrastructure of its Halo games.
PalTalk wants $90 million from Microsoft, a case which went to trial in Texas this week, according to a report from Bloomberg. Lawyers have begun making their respective cases.
According to PalTalk, which purchased the two patents under contention from company MPath Interactive Inc., Microsoft had met with the patent holders to evaluate their technology. Microsoft doesn’t try to refute that claim, but said it decided to pursue other multiplayer technology solutions for Live, working with another party.
Microsoft asserts that PalTalk is way overvaluing the patent’s worth—which were purchased for $200,000—and that the the publisher’s decision to seek alternative tech was “upsetting to PalTalk and its employees.”
We’re sure they’ll work it out and your Halo 3 multiplayer sessions will never know the difference though.
