Microsoft being sued for Halo 2: LE case

by Ross Miller { Sep 19th 2005 at 7:00PM }

Who would ever have thought a cheap, metal tin would cause so much hassle? Glud & Marstrand (G&M) have filed a lawsuit against Microsoft and Viva for being in a conspiracy against G&M and for stealing their proprietary technology. The story goes as such: G&M went to Microsoft in 2002 to see if Microsoft was interested in their metal packaging for video game cases. The two companies signed NDA's and G&M gave Microsoft information about the packaging. G&M claims that Microsoft sent some of this information to Viva, a competitor of G&M who would later go on to produce the casing for Halo 2: Limited Edition (pictured). G&M is asking for monetary compensation.

[Thanks, bandersnatch]

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Miles @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

the guys who are getting the millions probably care.

Good job joystiq of posting a story and then wondering at the end of 3 paragraphs as to "whether anyone will care".

You guys always seem to raise the bar on utter stupidity.

Mr. Clark @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

The fact that you seem content on posting to a story in which you concur that nobody cares about it seems to me as if you are trying your best to at least match the stupidity.

Gandhi @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Just because its not important in your eyes does not mean it is not important at all.

What an idiotic, uninformed comment. IF the facts as you have posted are true, this is outright theft by Microsoft. And MS should for every possible dime that could be extracted out of them. Not only did MS steal and idea, it stole a manufacturing process, and even worse, gave it to a competitor. Do you realize how bad that is? It is not that this was a trivial design idea - but that this was an idea G&M came up with FIRST, shared with Microsoft under a SIGNED NDA agreement, and Microshaft broke that agreement and shared with G&M competitor - possibly putting G&M out of business.

It's like Bungie approaching MS with an idea for a game and they sign a NDA agreement, and Microsoft turns around and asks Epic Games to develope a game with those exact same ideas. Now is a big deal - yes or no?

**Next time on Game�s Most Bizarre Lawsuits, the creators of Sesame Street sue Sony for the use of colorful squares and triangles on their controllers.**

Sheesh - what a moronic statement. Dumbass. This is not the open source movement we are talking about. This is a trade secret that Microsoft should not have revealed under the NDA agreement, and made mattersevenworse by sharing it with G&M's competitor.

Be glad this a blog you are posting on. Any serious journal or publication would have kicked you out on your ugly ass for the stupid comment you just made.

the4thnobleman @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I hear Snuffleupagus has his license to practise Law...

It would be interesting to see that in the courtroom.

Snuffy "Your honor, I would like to call Microsoft's Bill Gates to the stand"

*Gates bursts in with Banzai bandanna on, rips off Snuffy's head craps down the neckhole, then leaves.

Big Bird "The prosecution rests your honor"

MS for the win!

cliquer @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

This is yet another act of theivery by MS. You may remember 1984-85 when Apple let Bill Gates and his henchmen "fool around" with their operating system, under the intention that they were going to create software for the Mac OS.

Then they stole the framework, and called it Windows. Sounds like not much has changed after all these years. Find something innovative, "borrow" it, then put your logo on it, and sell millions of copies.

roo @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Just wait until the new, redesigned, Xbox 360 Controller S. Early reports say it will look like the Revo's remote. Big Surprise.

roo @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

By the way, it's not limited edition at all; they still have loads of them for sale at my college's computer store.

Fuzz @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

I read another article on this, and MS was very underhanded. They deserve to be sued. It's their usually unfair business practice thing that they do so well.

SoyaBean @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Listen to this, Goerge Foreman is going to sue Sony for taking or stealing the design of his grill.

Lord Gavin @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

everyone wants a piece of the halo pie. It's so yummy!

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

SoyaBean says: "Listen to this, Goerge Foreman is going to sue Sony for taking or stealing the design of his grill."

oh boy. how original of you.

kuroshi @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Wow you guys really jump on a anti MS story and run with it like it's fact. First I'm not sure if A non-disclosure agreement can cover something as broad as metal cases for games, unless you have some special process. Second, If they truly invented the metal game case what about splinter cell and doom 3. The truth is companies and artist face lawsuits every year from someone who says it was their idea first. most of those people lose in court. Someone who lost was sony. They stole the idea and violated the patent of a company who created the rumble feature in controllers. Instead of paying the company sony decided to fight it in court and they lost. So if you are going to rant on stolen ideas at least make in balanced and fair. MS didn't invent stealing, they're not the first to be sued, they are not the right hand of satan, you're just crazy. MS is just a big company just like all the rest. At the end of the day they are trying to make money like everyone else.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

site your sources please. why would sony continue to use rumble if they were sued over it?

Glenn @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

"site your sources please. why would sony continue to use rumble if they were sued over it?"

lol - this story was EVERYWHERE - try google

Sloopydrew @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

What's the deal, Ross? Are you actually siding with Microsoft? If there really were NDA's signed by both parties and if G&M's packaging was indeed similar to what Microsoft ended up using, the case seems pretty open and shut, unless Microsoft can prove through patents or other means that they already developed the idea prior to their meeting with G&M. Microsoft has stolen many an idea prior to this one (actually, has Microsoft EVER came up with an original idea of its own?), yet you act like it's all A-OK, making light of it and comparing the case to Sesame Street going after Sony for using colored triangles. G&M's lawsuit, from what you've posted, doesn't sound frivolous to me. Personally, I wish everyone Microsoft ever stole from got together and sued the bastards straight out of business. Maybe then they'd start to care.

Ross Miller @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Before the Sony thing goes on any further, the article in question is about Immersion suing Microsoft and Sony over use of their vibration. Microsoft settled out of court; Sony didn't, and eventually lost. We ran a story last September (2004), right here: http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1771212788933190/

Honestly, Sloopydrew, I don't know who to side with. G&M calling this Microsoft/Viva thing a conspiracy seems a little overdramatic, but like you guys said (and with the aforementioned Immersion court case), it happens and happens often (Windows stolen from Apple? I believe it; doesn't affect me, I love my Mac OS X). But then there was also that thing a few months back about someone suing Pixar for Finding Nemo storyline - that was thrown out, I believe.

Why did I imply that the lawsuit was ridiculous and nobody would care? Because it is a different angle than most of these stories I guess - and maybe because the Sesame Street crack seemed like a cheap shot for a very lame joke (I know, I am not funny).

Utterly stupid comment? Probably. "Kicked my ugly ass out on the curb?" More than likely, yes - while many publications in the gaming industry, from GamePro to 1up, give their smartass asides (game journalism has always been less formal). Is Microsoft being a bastard or just the victim of cheap shot? Is G&M itself the victim of a conspiracy or are they simply cashing in because they have underdog status - it's just a matter of opinion.

I guess the point when I wrote about them not caring/nobody caring is that, in the end, it doesn't affect our Halo experience. But, because I'd rather have a post where the majority of the comments are focused on the topic at hand, I have decided to remove the entire second paragraph. It's out of the way, and sorry.

E @ Dec 18th 2005 10:08PM

Yes, sony lost that case about the vibration. but sony can alway re-appealing the case, You cannot force Sony to stop selling anything when they currently re-appeal. If sony lose the appeal, then they must stop sell that controller or keep continue paying more fine.

But in this case clearly show microsoft violates the NDA by show that technology and design to G&M competitor. MS has to pay it if they lose. Or re-appeal if they like to argue some more.

Some of you need to read the full article.
http://www.xboxcircle.com/portal/content/view/382/

NDA = NON DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT. Dont show it to anyone.