Comment on Nintendo now has a US patent on summoning characters and making them battle for you | VGC
ragebutt@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 days agoThe true fault here is the us patent system.
Nintendo is shitty for patenting this, sure, but why was the patent granted? This has happened numerous times for big tech companies where an overly broad patent is granted that allows them to stifle innovation and bully smaller companies out of business instead of properly competing with government protection
Kichae@lemmy.ca 6 days ago
Exactly. Nintendo is not our friend, but it’s also playing by the rules it has available to it. It’s the rulemaker’s fault if the rules are shite.
As a publically traded company in the current system, Nintendo is not in the business of making video games, it’s in the business of making shareholder value. Video games are just a tool for doing that, exactly how a PC is a tool for writing documents or developing software. At the end of the day, companies have more than one tool at their disposal, and are going to use all of them to compete.
It’s on us to take away the tools we don’t think they should have access to, not on them to voluntarily not use the ones that are in play.
masterspace@lemmy.ca 6 days ago
Classic American response: “companies aren’t responsible for the shitty choices they make, they can make as many shitty choices that harm people for profit as possible at all times and it’s just business”.
DebatableRaccoon@lemmy.ca 6 days ago
I’ve grown to hate that famous quote “It’s not personal, it’s just business.” because it’s almost exclusively used to excuse people when they choose to act like sociopaths.
Akrenion@slrpnk.net 6 days ago
Systemic change is needed when the system allows for that exploitation. That is not excusing companies. Noone should be able to do it is the right reaction.
masterspace@lemmy.ca 5 days ago
No one should be able to do it is the right reaction, but ‘Nintendo deserves no blame or shame for choosing to do it’ is the wrong reaction. Nintendo could have used all the money it spends on IP lawyers to instead lobby the government to change the patent system, but instead they spend it all on lawyers so that they can sell you the same game on a new system.