Worlds.com to Sue Activision if Virtual World Patent Upheld

Authored by Mark Hefflinger on March 12, 2009 - 9:58am.

New York - Worlds.com, a developer of virtual worlds and holder of various patents on related technologies, said it plans to filed patent claims against "World of Warcraft" publisher Activision Blizzard (NASD: ATVI) and "Second Life" creator Linden Labs, should it succeed in a current case against NCsoft, Silicon Alley Insider reported.

In January, Massachusetts-based Worlds.com filed patent claims against "City of Heroes" publisher NCsoft, over its patent that "relates to computer architecture for a three-dimensional graphical multi-user interactive virtual world system... which provide a graphical representation of the player's character (avatar) wherein movement of the character in virtual space alters what the character views."

The patent in question dates to 1997, and Steven Spielberg-backed Starbright World, part of the Starlight Starbright Foundation for seriously ill children.

The Starbright patents eventually came into the possession of Worlds.com and CEO Thom Kidrin.

Kidrin told SAI he "absolutely" intends to sue other virtual world and gaming companies who refuse to license its patented technologies, should the company win against NCsoft.

Related Links:
http://snipurl.com/dopp8 (Silicon Alley Insider)

http://snipurl.com/dopnl (DMW previous coverage)

http://www.worlds.com