With a struggling next-gen console, and a handheld device being sold at a loss, Wednesday brought another blow to Nintendo.
The veritable videogame grandaddy was found guilty of patent infringement, specifically for using a glasses free 3D display for their handheld 3DS. The patent was held by former Sony employee, Seijiro Tomita.
While Nintendo representative Scott Lindvall argued, as Reuters reports, that the 3DS didn't use "key aspects of Tomita's patent," a jury felt differently, agreeing with Tomita's lawyer, Joe Diamante, who argued the opposite.
On a completely unrelated note, I love that it was an Italian lawyer that helped bring down a company built on the backbone of a virtual Italian plumber / carpenter.
In the end, a federal jury ordered Nintendo to pay a over a whopping $30 million to Tomita.
But this may not be the end just yet. Nintendo issued a statement to Kotaku which alludes to the idea that Nintendo may appeal the decision.
"Nintendo is confident that the result will be set aside. The jury's verdict will not impact Nintendo's continued sales in the United States of its highly acclaimed line of video game hardware, software and accessories, including the Nintendo 3DS. Nintendo has a long history of developing innovative products while respecting the intellectual property rights of others," the platform holder said.
