Nintendo Secures $8m in Decade-Long Wii Controller Patent Dispute

In a landmark case, Nintendo has emerged victorious in a 15-year-long lawsuit against a company that sold third-party Wii controllers, securing $8.2 million in damages and legal fees. The ruling, made at the end of October, requires BigBen Interactive, now known as Nacon, to pay €7 million due to patent infringement related to Nintendo's Wii controller. Although Nacon has the option to appeal, Nintendo's legal team considers the judgment remarkable, especially given the rarity of damage amount determinations in German patent law. The court's assumption that Nintendo would have made all the sales if not for BigBen's third-party hardware further supports the ruling. The lawsuit, which began in 2011, saw the court initially decide in Nintendo's favor, but BigBen argued that buyers would have opted for other third-party controllers. However, the court found these alternatives also likely infringed on Nintendo's patent. The lengthy proceedings, which lasted over seven years, were delayed several times by BigBen, ultimately increasing the interest on the claim and Nacon's payment obligation. Nacon has chosen to appeal the judgment. This development comes as the US Patent Office is reevaluating a Nintendo patent that protects a gameplay mechanic involving in-game character summons, potentially leading to its revocation.