Way back in 2008, we brought you the word that Konami was suing Harmonix, alledgeing that Rock Band infringes on Konami's music game patents. The case has been settled. The terms of the settlement have not been revealed, but all claims and counter-claims have been dropped, and both companies can now continue making video games (and money.)
Konami's original point was that it had two patents on simulated musical instruments, a music-game system and a musical-rhythm matching game, that they came up with in 2002 2003. Harmonix counter-suit claimed that the musical instruments in Konami's Rock Revolution infringed on their patents.
I'm no lawyer, but it does seem that Konami's big-in-Japan games Guitar Freaks and Drum Mania (and, for that matter, Dance Dance Revolution) use a lot of the same tech and ideas that found their way into Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Not that that means a patent was infringed upon, of course. Either way, the case is over. The dust has settled. Go about your day.
Source: Bloomberg
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canadabac0n
^^ too many FPS's for you, it gorilla ^^
Jimi0088
all music games can eat my taint. not lick but eat. they are not games they are just annoying.
I hope that the person that thought that this was cool gets raped by 1000 silverbacks guerrillas
teac77
I like Harmonix more. It's too easy for Konami to take quality songs, and change them just enough to not have to pay royalties per song.
m0nkeyb0y77
This is Al Gore's fault. Somehow.
XFRod
Really? I didn't even think Konami released a Rock Revolution bundle with a guitar controller? Well, at least I'll be able to sleep now.
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