Lik-Sang ordered to pay Nintendo $20 million (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Kleist]

For selling a GBA copying device. Guess their days (least as Lik-Sang) are numbered

http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6030280.html

 

[MikeAlletto]

Uhhhh not really:

In its original complaint Nintendo has asked for US$20 million in damages for lost revenues in 2001 and 2002, a figure that dwarfs the interim amount of around US$641,000 that Lik Sang has been ordered to pay.

The original complaint was 20 million. They are only ordered to pay 641k

 

[Adam Tyner]

It also says it's an interim amount -- interim to what, I don't know, but presumably that means the $641K isn't necessarily the extent of it.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

$641,000 is probably to cover court costs/lawyer fees for the case, and then damages will be awarded and appealed.

 

[JoshF]

That's lame. Why are they going after the retailer instead of the manufacturer?

What's more, why aren't people suing drug stores that sell cigarettes instead of the tobacco companies?

Why isn't the government going after head shops that sell water pipes?

 

[BrianB]

That's lame. Why are they going after the retailer instead of the manufacturer?

They have gone after the manufacturer. Repeatedly. Ask Bung about their legal troubles

 

[MikeAlletto]

What other uses does this device have? I find it funny that lik-sang's article about the portable dreamcast stating that its probably illegal and they won't be selling it but here they are selling a device that pretty much is used to make copies and dump roms of games onto blank carts.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

The flash carts can be very, very useful for 'real hardware' testing of games by underground developers. The emulators are pretty damned good, but it's still nice to test on real hardware. Especially for playtesting.

I do actually know some hobbyist developers who have written console games with the aid of hardware such as this. One cannot say there is no valid, non-infringing use of such products. That's pretty moot in light of legal judgements, however.

 

[BrianB]

The flash carts can be very, very useful for 'real hardware' testing of games by underground developers.

I'd go so far as to say they're useful for licenced developers too - it's a much cheaper solution for multiple testers/devstations than going the "official" route.

Of course, no "real" licenced GBA dev would admit that in public