Valve Corporation “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/valve/ “> Valve lost the first patent-pending jury trial over the Covid-19 pandemic.
The trial, in which attorneys for Valve and plaintiff Ironburg Invention testify from various locations via Zoom, began in late January.
Ironburg claims that Half-Life and portal manufacturer Valve were warned in 2014 that a prototype of the Steam “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/pc/steam/ “> Steam Controller on the CES exchange has the same back controls as it was recently patented.
The patent, for additional services on the back of a user-driven middle finger pad, would later be licensed by Xbox Game Studios (Microsoft) “href =” https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies / microsoft / “> Microsoft for use in its Xbox” href = “https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/xbox/”> Xbox Elite controllers, with back pads.
Despite the warning, Valve launched its controller and allegedly sold 1.6 million units before the product was discontinued in 2019.
“Valve did know that his behavior posed an unreasonable risk of burglary, but it did, in any case, simply infringe – the classic story of David and Goliath: Goliath does what Goliath wants to do,” Ironburg lawyer Robert Becker said. argued.
Valve claims there was no offense, but the jury found otherwise and Ironburg awarded $ 4 million in damages, Law.com reports.
While the award is on the low side of the damages series that Ironburg sought, the possibility of improvements remains because jurors decided that Valve intentionally infringed the patent.
In January, the European Commission fined Valve and five publishers of Steam games 7.8 million euros ($ 9.4 million) for geo-blocking practices against consumers, restricting access to content or products based on which country a person is.