Sega sues over Simpsons

The Wanderer · 05 Dec 2003, 05:41 PM

http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6085112.html

Sega of America has filed a suit against EA and Fox alleging that The Simpsons Road Rage deliberately copies and imitates its Crazy Taxi games.

According to a recent Reuters report, Sega of America has filed a suit against publisher Electronic Arts, developer Radical Games, the Fox Filmed Entertainment division of Fox Entertainment, and Vivendi Universal's Fox Interactive unit. Filed in a San Francisco federal court, the suit alleges that the 2001 game The Simpsons Road Rage was designed to 'deliberately copy and imitate' its Crazy Taxi games.

Sega holds a U.S. patent known as the '138 patent' on Crazy Taxi, and has cited a number of reviews from video game publications of The Simpsons Road Rage in which the game was described as being very similar to Crazy Taxi. In our own review of Road Rage we noted that the game could perhaps best be described as 'Crazy Taxi in Springfield'.

Sega has requested that the court stop the sale and import of The Simpsons Road Rage, which has sold more than a million copies to date, recall copies of the game currently in retail, and award damages for lost profits. We'll bring you more information on this story as soon as it becomes available.

By Justin Calvert, GameSpot [POSTED: 12/05/03 06:50 AM]

Given that the game was a fairly blatant rip-off, I'm mostly surprised that this didn't happen sooner.

Thoughts?

Dante · 05 Dec 2003, 06:42 PM

Big Cry Babies, There is no such thing as a new idea these days so why bitch about yours?

David · 06 Dec 2003, 10:04 PM

It was only a matter of time before Sega sued over that one...

Toof · 07 Dec 2003, 03:23 PM

HA! Sega is looking for money anywhere they can possible put their claws on since they are almost extinct.Crying won't help them since to my knowledge it doesn't vilate any patents since the game is completely different from Crazy Taxi. The basis of the game night look the same but not a single character, vehicle etc looks like Crazy Taxi. I Predict this will be dismissed and probably appealed to be dimissed again.

Forgotten Sin · 07 Dec 2003, 08:38 PM

Ha, Last I Checked nobody Was giving a damn about Crazy Taxi games.

Anyhoo, I Like sega and all, But Don't Expect them to win this easy...

Rebel · 08 Dec 2003, 06:46 AM

hey who doesn't care about Crazy Taxi games? Those games are fun. But they do get kinda boring after awhile if you do own them.

Toof · 08 Dec 2003, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rebel

hey who doesn't care about Crazy Taxi games? Those games are fun. But they do get kinda boring after awhile if you do own them.

I remember when I rented it.

Got bored in two hours

The Wanderer · 08 Dec 2003, 12:12 PM

I used t own Crazy Taxi 1 since i loved playing the arcade version...but yeah it gets very repetive even for a semi racer game...

I am the Icon · 08 Dec 2003, 07:44 PM

Everyone is suing these days, even Paris Hilton's dad is suing the pants off those guys that are putting his pantless daughter all over the internet.

Toof · 09 Dec 2003, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by I am the Icon

Everyone is suing these days, even Paris Hilton's dad is suing the pants off those guys that are putting his pantless daughter all over the internet.

I wanna see I wanna see!!!

05 Dec 2003, 05:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
The Wanderer Moderator Of Good & Evil Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Walking upon high, as I step to the edge to see my world below.. Posts: 6,505 Rep Power: 151	Sega sues over Simpsons http://www.gamespot.com/all/news/news_6085112.html Sega of America has filed a suit against EA and Fox alleging that The Simpsons Road Rage deliberately copies and imitates its Crazy Taxi games. According to a recent Reuters report, Sega of America has filed a suit against publisher Electronic Arts, developer Radical Games, the Fox Filmed Entertainment division of Fox Entertainment, and Vivendi Universal's Fox Interactive unit. Filed in a San Francisco federal court, the suit alleges that the 2001 game The Simpsons Road Rage was designed to 'deliberately copy and imitate' its Crazy Taxi games. Sega holds a U.S. patent known as the '138 patent' on Crazy Taxi, and has cited a number of reviews from video game publications of The Simpsons Road Rage in which the game was described as being very similar to Crazy Taxi. In our own review of Road Rage we noted that the game could perhaps best be described as 'Crazy Taxi in Springfield'. Sega has requested that the court stop the sale and import of The Simpsons Road Rage, which has sold more than a million copies to date, recall copies of the game currently in retail, and award damages for lost profits. We'll bring you more information on this story as soon as it becomes available. By Justin Calvert, GameSpot [POSTED: 12/05/03 06:50 AM] Given that the game was a fairly blatant rip-off, I'm mostly surprised that this didn't happen sooner. Thoughts? __________________

05 Dec 2003, 06:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dante ....Bang Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 7,695 Rep Power: 507	Big Cry Babies, There is no such thing as a new idea these days so why bitch about yours? __________________

07 Dec 2003, 08:38 PM	#5 (permalink)
Forgotten Sin Tom Hanks With-A the Aids Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Charlottetown, PEI Posts: 22,635 Rep Power: 727	Ha, Last I Checked nobody Was giving a damn about Crazy Taxi games. Anyhoo, I Like sega and all, But Don't Expect them to win this easy... __________________

08 Dec 2003, 06:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
Rebel Let It Roll Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ontario Posts: 19,681 Rep Power: 2309	hey who doesn't care about Crazy Taxi games? Those games are fun. But they do get kinda boring after awhile if you do own them. __________________

08 Dec 2003, 12:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
The Wanderer Moderator Of Good & Evil Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Walking upon high, as I step to the edge to see my world below.. Posts: 6,505 Rep Power: 151	I used t own Crazy Taxi 1 since i loved playing the arcade version...but yeah it gets very repetive even for a semi racer game... __________________

06 Dec 2003, 10:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
David Heavyweight Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Connecticut Posts: 9,579 Rep Power: 930	It was only a matter of time before Sega sued over that one...

07 Dec 2003, 03:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
Toof I hate people Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 14,665 Rep Power: 141	HA! Sega is looking for money anywhere they can possible put their claws on since they are almost extinct.Crying won't help them since to my knowledge it doesn't vilate any patents since the game is completely different from Crazy Taxi. The basis of the game night look the same but not a single character, vehicle etc looks like Crazy Taxi. I Predict this will be dismissed and probably appealed to be dimissed again.

08 Dec 2003, 07:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
I am the Icon YOU SCREWED MATT Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 621 Rep Power: 0	Everyone is suing these days, even Paris Hilton's dad is suing the pants off those guys that are putting his pantless daughter all over the internet. __________________

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