Microsoft sues Immersion over alleged breach of contract
by Ross Miller 
{ Jun 18th 2007 at 5:25PM }
Haptic technology developer Immersion has been sued by Microsoft for not following through with their end of an agreement that settled a lawsuit originally filed by Immersion towards the Xbox 360 maker back in 2003. Funny how things come full circle.Microsoft cited a portion of the agreement where Immersion was to pay the company "based on certain business and IP licensing arrangements" but has not done so. The original agreement had Microsoft paying $26 million for licensing rights and a stake in the company.
Immersion is probably best known in the video game industry for its lawsuits against Sony over patents based on their force feedback technology. Though Microsoft settled, Sony fought it and lost, eventually paying over $90 million to the patent holder.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Daniel @ Jun 18th 2007 5:33PM
Everyone get on the lawsuit carousel!
Jake @ Jun 18th 2007 5:33PM
Weird. MS buys a stake in Immersion as part of a settlement with them. Immersion sues Sony and takes them to the cleaners. Then, MS is suing Immersion.
Now we just need Sony to sue MS and the train will be complete.
SuMtOnE @ Jun 18th 2007 5:35PM
wuthe so much company bein sued left & right... it aint funny no more... kinda sucks to own a big multi-million company... gota watch ur back... myte get sued anyday =)
Neil @ Jun 18th 2007 5:36PM
No good deed goes unpunished. lol
bearattack79 @ Jun 18th 2007 5:51PM
I wonder if this has anything to do with the Sony camp going for some kinda rumble now?
Hikaru @ Jun 18th 2007 6:02PM
@bearattack79
I was thinking the exact same thing buddy...
Perhaps MS doesn't want Sony to add rumble....
Like they don't have Sony to have GTAIV episodic content...
Dracula Jones @ Jun 18th 2007 6:03PM
@3: Very insightful, thanks for posting.
hvnlysoldr @ Jun 18th 2007 6:05PM
What other big source of money did Immersion just get right?
"When you left me I was just an apprentice. Now I am the master. It has come full circle."
"Only a master of evil."
"Luke is my son? Where was he hiding?"
"On your homeworld of Tatooine with your half-brother's family..."
"Of all the places..."
"Oh and Leia is Luke's twin sister."
"How could I not tell that when I was Force-probing her?"
fawazr @ Jun 18th 2007 6:12PM
@7 I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out what the hell comment #3 was about.
jabbertrack @ Jun 18th 2007 6:15PM
Does Immersion actually DO anything aside from collect money and go to court?
Fuck the patent system
Jose @ Jun 18th 2007 6:20PM
So... MS is suing itself now?
Vegan @ Jun 18th 2007 6:36PM
Let's get ready to rumblllllllle
redsymphony @ Jun 18th 2007 6:42PM
Nice to see M$ doing the suing this time and not getting sued LMFAO
Dan @ Jun 18th 2007 6:47PM
Why not just buy immersion? Then sony and nintendo would have to pay microsoft to use rumble :-p
Brock @ Jun 18th 2007 6:57PM
This is so retarded. This is what's messed up in the world today. Everybody is suing somebody for something. It's so ridiculous. I think I'm going to sue Joystiq because it's their fault I'm addicted to posting on here, and therefore losing money at work; then I will sue them for emotional distress they caused me because I couldn't pay my bills and I'll get some psychologist to agree with me and let him testify in court cuz if it's a doctor, then it must be true.
F R E A K I N G quit wasting my money I payed you for your console on lawsuits and make some more games!
Blaster Master @ Jun 18th 2007 7:16PM
@Dan
Nintendo doesn't have to pay shit because they were not sued by immersion because they managed to create their own rumble without copying anyone else. Nintendo implemented the use of rumble feedback with the N64 rumble pack that shipped with Starfox 64 and after that rumble became an industry standard.
sheppy @ Jun 18th 2007 7:21PM
"Nintendo doesn't have to pay shit because they were not sued by immersion because they managed to create their own rumble without copying anyone else. Nintendo implemented the use of rumble feedback with the N64 rumble pack that shipped with Starfox 64 and after that rumble became an industry standard."
Umm, no. Nintendo LICENSED rumble technology from Immersion. In other words, it's not a Nintendo invention.
Grindstone @ Jun 18th 2007 7:25PM
Well, that is one good way to recoup some of that $50 million dumped into exclusive content for GTA IV.
I've been sued twice now, and my wife is being sued now, and I spend all day at work suing people (law firm) -- it's just the nature of the beast.
Oh, and Dracular Jones is funny.
Rubang B @ Jun 18th 2007 7:32PM
I've got this great idea for a sitcom. Microsoft, Sony, and Immersion are all roommates who are always getting in trouble and suing each other left and right trying to make money for rent, and a giant anthropomorphized Wii is their landlord, who eats all the money.
Hikaru @ Jun 18th 2007 8:16PM
What are you talking about Sheppy? Nintendo's rumble technology is not from Immersion.
Daniel @ Jun 18th 2007 8:32PM
Nintendo has their own patents on their own implementation of rumble. Thus, no immersion lawsuits, and no licensing.
In fact, I think some of immersions patents reference the Nintendo patents.
Aeron @ Jun 18th 2007 9:09PM
"Umm, no. Nintendo LICENSED rumble technology from Immersion. In other words, it's not a Nintendo invention."
LOL no. Microsoft and Sony uses a two rotorary rumble, which Immersion has the rights and patents.
Nintendo on the other hand uses a one rotorary rumble, which they developed and have all the rights to, which is why they didn't get sued.
nick @ Jun 18th 2007 10:13PM
Here's an interesting contract
http://contracts.onecle.com/immersion/microsoft.lic.1999.07.19.shtml
Tony @ Jun 19th 2007 3:07AM
Msoft will make it very expensive for Immersion to honour any IP licensing agreements, if Immersion finally buddy up with Sony.
So Immersion probably won't be able to afford to do this, and the whole Immersion/ Sony agreement will dissolve, thus perpetuating litigation against Sony.
Dirty, Msoft. Very dirty. Let's hope it gets exposed for what it is, though...Could be messy for you :)
Number Six @ Jun 19th 2007 4:14AM
Unless he's got all his ducks in a row--meaning, has sources to back up his big boy talk--sheppy just got triple-owned. 20, 21, and 22 just saved me the trouble of typing the same thing. Thanks guys!
Vancaeyzeele @ Jun 19th 2007 7:36AM
So MS buys the rights and a part of the firm for 25$. Then Sony is being arrogant again and pays up to 90 million $. So they did not only payed for something they can hardly sell but they also payed a part of it to microsoft.
Way to go Sony.
shase @ Jun 19th 2007 7:34PM
What the heck was Immersion thinking having that clause in there? It's like saying "we will hand you millions of money later" when it should've been MS paying them at that time. Immersion is so smart in suing Ms and Sony yet they had to let that clause be included? Well Immersion got what they deserved.I hope MS, Sony and NiN find a brand new way to do rumble and watch Immersion go out of business
news @ Jun 20th 2007 6:10PM
Might explain everything... Immersion sues MS. Part of the sttelement when MS pays IMmersion is that Immersion sues Sony with MS supporting in background. Immersion Sues Sony, wins. Perhaps MS doesn;t get their share. MS sues Immersion.
...or not