Guy With Asperger's Sues Microsoft For $500 Billion

Castrum - Lulz:

Some cletus down in Arkansas opines that Microsoft has to pay him $500 billion because it didn't answer, in writing, a mailing designed to not get a written response to his demands for $500 billion.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer is your source for all the fun, courtesy of a federal civil complaint filed Monday by one David Stebbins. His grounds for suing is a technicality about the nature of the Xbox Live terms of service. He argues that he is allowed to unilaterally amend the TOS unless Microsoft rejects his terms in writing.

The new terms? Something about he gets paid $500 billion if they don't like the old terms.

Stebbins actually admits to the P-I that his notice to Microsoft was designed to not attract their attention and to go unanswered. "When I mail these documents to Microsoft, they won't go to any legal division; I arranged for the mailings to be picked up by the employee that just collects regular mail! It's quite possible that these employees won't understand the legal significance of these documents, and know that they're required to respond."

... 

It's enough to know he's tried this bullshit in other venues, too. And, also, that he claims to have Asperger's syndrome, which is the go-to punchline for many an internet troll. I'm sure his agoraphobia will keep him from showing up in court, too.

http://kotaku.com/5832918/xbox-live-trolled-for-625000000000-microsoft-points-in-federal-court

Nintendo Patenting Single-Player MMOs

Castrum - It would appear Nintendo has decided to corner the market on Single-Player games that can optionally become Multiplayer:

Back in 2010, Nintendo filed a patent application for something called a "massively single-playing online game," something whose interactions don't take place in real time and what sounds a little Animal Crossing-ish (above).

According to GameSpot, which found the filing, the MSO(?) would be an environment where players' actions and choices affect the world they and everyone else inhabit. Economic systems are a good example, one Nintendo used in the filing.

I call Patent Trolling.

http://kotaku.com/5830500/nintendo-seeks-to-patent-the-massively-singleplayer-online-game

Microsoft Getting Sued For Double-Billing

Castrum - Seems MS might have had a hiccup in the system: 

Microsoft must defend its Xbox Live billing policies in a class action lawsuit filed this week in Indiana. Plaintiff Ryan Graves says he was double-charged for a subscription under "vague and onerous terms of use" for the console service membership.

Graves says that his Xbox Live subscription lapsed when he didn't update his credit card information; when he renewed the account later with a new card, Microsoft billed him for a new sub and the one that had expired, reports Gamasutra.

Graves, in his court complaint, says he was told the billing was "not a mistake," and that he would receive a two-year subscription to Xbox Live. Graves said basically, fuck that, he didn't order any two-year subscription. And so now this is going to court.

Smells like opportunism to me.

http://kotaku.com/5830176/class-action-lawsuit-accuses-microsoft-of-double+billing-xbox-live-subscriptions

Pandaren Finally Coming To WoW?

Castrum - And I quote:

With Blizzcon only a few months away, a trademark filing has surfaced hinting at what could be one of the last big hurrahs for the aging MMO.

Dated from last week in the US, it's for something called Mists of Pandaria...

Honestly, it's about time Blizz caved in to fanboy demand. At least now the Alliance (who will inevitably get to play as them) will look even more ridiculous and childish than they did before, what with all the Chinese Tony the Tigers running around. I wonder what race the Horde will get...

http://kotaku.com/5827221/is-world-of-warcraft-taking-giant-man+pandas-a-little-more-seriously

Bethesda Threatens Mojang Over Use Of Word "Scrolls"

MjolnirX - According to Notch, the creator of Minecraft, Bethesda is considering suing Mojang over the use of the word "Scrolls" in their expansion. The reasoning is that it's too similar to their use of the word in "The Elder Scrolls".

This isn't really unexpected. When Mojang's lawyers told them to register the name "Minecraft", they also told them to register "Scrolls" as well to avoid any trouble that might cause in the future. After applying for it, they were contacted by Bethesda's lawyers as to their intention of their use of the word "Scrolls" in their product. Notch told Bethesda's lawyers that their intention was to use it as a precursor to the name of expanions i.e Scrolls - The Banana Edition. To Notch's knowledge, he doesn't know if Bethesda had agreed to Mojang's terms.

Today, Mojang recieved a 15-page cease-and-desist letter from Bethesda's lawyers saying that if he does not stop using the word "Scrolls" in his work, they are threatening to sue Mojang should the need arise. Notch doesn't seem too concerned, noting that "I love Bethesda. I assume this nonsense is partly just their lawyers being lawyers, and a result of trademark law being the way it is."

Myself, I'm hoping that this is just something of a misunderstanding. "Scrolls" is such a general term. The patent system is a joke in its current state. The two games aren't similar in any ways, and don't share any of the same appeal to people. It's not like using the word "Scrolls" will somehow hurt Bethesda's business. I know product awareness and saturation is one thing, but this is just a ridiculous situation. Also, I don't think Bethesda wants to be known as the people who sued everyone's beloved Minecraft.

Blizzard Implementing "Cash-For-Items" Scheme In Diablo III

Developer	Blizzard Entertainment
Release Date	To Be Announced

MjolnirX - Blizzard has recently announced a new type of Auction House for its newest iteration of the Diablo franchise. This new AH will feature weapons and armor available for purchase using real money. This will run alongside (though separately) with the traditional auction houses like World of Warcraft's that use in-game currency.

Like the World of Warcraft auction houses, Diablo's cash-only AH will require the user to pay a fee to put an item up for sale, then they will be required to pay a transaction fee when the item is sold. The seller may then keep the money on his (or her) account for use in-game or for other Blizzard products, or cash-out with yet-another fee attached. The fees are at this moment still being negotiated, though I'm sure on such a grand scale, and with such a dedicated fan base, that it won't matter. At all.

This poses a scary situation. I can see many people, especially a few friends I know, making this a full-time job. I'm already picturing my friends trying to make a living off of playing and selling items in-game. I suppose it remains to be seen how much in-game items will cost. Blizzard has a tendency of pumping out some really expensive, rare or even one-off items that may end up costing hundreds or thousands on the new marketplace. After all, Blizzard will profit off of every item sold.

I'm not liking what this game is implying for the future of games. Microtransactions seems to be the way of the future. Look at games like Farmville (or any Zynga, or even any Facebook game), any iOS game, and many Xbox 360 or PS3 games like Record of Agarest War, where in-game purchases will give you an edge over the average Joe pinch-penny. The era of fair, balanced gaming is over. Hail your new king, Disposable-Income Man.