Nintendo has filed a patent giving them the exclusive right to the gameplay mechanic of pressing a button that makes a character jump, sources confirmed.
“It’s hard to believe it’s been over forty years since the original Donkey Kong released in arcades!” explained Shigeru Miyamoto in a recent Nintendo Direct. “So much has changed since then! Mario’s had so many adventures, Donkey Kong has gone from villain to hero, and countless other video games have included a jump button without our express permission. That’s why, starting after this Direct, only Nintendo will be legally able to make games where you can jump. All other publishers have six months to ensure their titles are free of patent infringement. Afterwards, the next jump we see out of any of you, you’ll be jumping straight into court.” […]
Context: Nintendo recently got some patents which are quite unpopular: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/an-embarrassing-failure-of-the-us-patent-system-videogame-ip-lawyer-says-nintendos-latest-patents-on-pokemon-mechanics-should-not-have-happened-full-stop/
I for sure ate the onion on that headline
deleted by creator
Nintendo would absolutely do this if the patent office let them.
I’m almost afraid a Nintendo exec will see this and think it’s a good idea
Part of this is kinda true. From an interview in 2009, Miyamoto actually said he originally wanted to patent the mechanic of jumping for Donkey Kong. The joke here is that 40 years later, they actually would try.
Didn’t Atari do it first?
Doing it first doesn’t matter for patents apparently
Someone should patent “being a little bitch baby” and then take Nintendo to court for using their concept whenever Nintendo try to patent something like “fish which move out of your way when you swim close” or “video game controller which you control with your anal sphincter”
Me playing an mmo where you can’t jump…
