this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2024
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game mechanics aren't patentable?
Load screen minigames was patented for quite a few years, it's the reason we couldn't have fun while waiting for the game to load. The patent has run out tho I think, but nowadays it doesn't matter cause SSDs
Just wait a few more years and SSDs won't matter, loading screens will take forever again
They have been for the longest time, and it's as ridiculous as it sounds.
They aren't supposed to be but if you have enough money anything can be patentable, copyrightable, or trademarkable.
Some douche had (still has?) all the trademarks on anything Edge related to games
No, game mechanics aren’t subject to copyright law. Game mechanics can be patented in the US, so long as they’re unique and nonobvious (to someone with ordinary skill in the field).
Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering both had patents on their mechanics, for example.
And of course, patents in Japan are a completely different animal than patents in the US.