CyberAgent has announced that Konami Digital Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against its subsidiary Cygames. According to the press release, Konami alleges that the video game Uma Musume: Pretty Derbyexploited by Cygames, infringes certain company patent rights and claims four billion yen (approximately 29.2 million dollars) and the amount of the corresponding delay charges for damages. They have also applied for an injunction against the production, use, and supply over telecommunication lines of Uma Musume: Pretty Derby.
Uma Musume: Pretty Derby is a multimedia franchise starring Uma Musume (horse girls) who have inherited the names of popular racehorses. The video game version is a simulation game in which players take on the role of a trainer to raise and train various Uma Musume.
According to the CyberAgent statement, Cygames has been in talks with Konami about patent rights to certain parts of the game system and the Uma Musume: Pretty Derby show. They explain that Cygames’ opinion on the matter has not been accepted by Konami, which has led to the filing of the lawsuit.
At this time, it is not clear which patents are at the center of this case. CyberAgent believes that Cygames has not infringed Konami’s patents with Uma Musume: Pretty Derby and declared that it will clarify its legality through the responses to the case.
The curious report drew comment from fans in Japan, where the game is extremely popular:
- «Is it because of the system to train the girls?».
- «Just in time».
- «I suppose it will be some patent of the system that serves to develop the girls».
- «It is often said that this video game has some mechanics that are very familiar».
- «Will Konami have the win this time?».
- «When I think the industry is moving forward, Konami comes out of the graveyard to ruin things».
- «It is said that it is due to the fact that they copied the user interface, which seems ridiculous to me».
The last comment has resonated a lot on social networks, and fans are already showing off what it looks like Konami is claiming as theirs: the user interface.
