Nintendo Suing Japanese Mobile Developer COLOPL

Japanese electronics and gaming company Nintendo filed a patent infringement suit against Japanese Mobile Developer COLOPL on December 22, 2017 with the Tokyo District Court. Nintendo alleges that COLOPL’s “Shiro Neko Project” infringes on five of Nintendo’s patents which relate to touch screen controls for using a virtual joystick. In the infringement suit, Nintendo is seeking \4.4 billion (about $40 million) in damages.

Last year Nintendo filed a copyright infringement suit against a Tokyo based go-kart rental service called MariCar. Nintendo also alleged that MariCar violated Japan’s Unfair Competition Prevention Act. MariCar riders rent go-karts as well as costumes of various character including the Mario Brothers characters and ride the go-karts throughout Tokyo and other cities in Japan. That case is also pending.