Microsoft sues Immersion over Sony settlement

Posted Jun 19, 2007 at 12:30PM by QJ Staff Listed in: PS3, Xbox 360 Tags: Immersion Corporation, Microsoft, SIXAXIS, Sony
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MS sues Immersion because it settled with Sony - Image 1Quite interestingly, the settlement between Sony and Immersion Corporation regarding controllers' rumble feature somehow concerns Microsoft. Last Monday, big MS just sued Immersion for contract breach.

We imagine you now asking, "What kind of breach?" and more importantly, "What contract are we talking about?" If you still remember, Immersion Corporation originally filed a lawsuit against the two companies back in 2002.

The case with Sony was eventually settled and with a hefty price tag if we may add. The two even reached a new agreement still concerning the much-talked about rumble for the SIXAXIS.

Now, Microsoft had this clause that requires Immersion to pay them based on "certain business and IP licensing arrangements" in the event that the rumble maker and Sony will settle. This is now where the problem lies because Microsft claims that Immersion hasn't lived up to the said terms. Microsoft Associate General Counsel Steve Aeschbacher said,


Microsoft licenses technology both in and out and relies on these agreements to be honored and enforced. Our request to the court is that all companies and industry partners should play by the same rules and that the binding agreement we signed with Immersion be honored.


It's really intriguing how this will affect the on-going console war between Sony and Microsoft. How about you, what do you think?

Via News

 
 
 

Comments [refresh]

by SolidSnake5986 - 2007-06-19 07:41
» WTF?

Why are they so worried of Sony getting rumble?

by LOX760 - 2007-06-19 07:52
» dumb

that's stupid on microsoft's part

by PSheddy - 2007-06-19 07:57
» Just like the GTA content..

Microsoft is at it again....



Money money money money......

by lawl - 2007-06-19 08:12
» oh the irony

immerson sues sony over unpaid dues, and now immerson turns around and doesn't microsoft. microsft and sony should just invent their own rumble and let immerson die.

by Mister Common Sense - 2007-06-19 08:21
» This is pretty funny

Looks like sony's getting screwed even more out of this deal.



Sony fought Immersion in court and lost 95 million, while Microsoft settled out of court for about 25 million. Microsoft also signed an agreement basically saying if sony and Immersion settled, Microsoft gets a portion of the settlement. Get this, the portion of proceeds MS gets is 26 million, more than they paid to settle in the first place!



Basically, MS gets paid 1.5 million to use rumble technology for free, while sony pays 120 million! That is awesome!

by droopysp - 2007-06-19 08:34
» MICROSOFT IS GETTING SCARED

look at microsoft, there getting scared that the playstation controller is gonna have a huge advantage having six-axis and soon to be rumble. Microsoft go suck something soft!!! LOL

by Straight Up Hatin' - 2007-06-19 08:47
» Booo

Yo hatin's weak son! Weak!

by dopey - 2007-06-19 08:53
» yea

thier probaly jealous cause we all kno that ps3 is goin to be successful in the future.

by BruceLeory - 2007-06-19 08:57
» You're an idiot

Sony is not the one who will have to pay M$ if their BS lawsuit goes thru. Immersion will be the one paying if it's true about the agreement they reached M$.

by Mr ps Man - 2007-06-19 09:03
» Fudge MS

Yes they getting scared even they have the a... full of fear!!!



Because sony is the better Company and have much more good things!!!

In my opinion MS plays NOT fair!!!

and they know that they only can win the console war, if they play UNFAIR !



@Bill Gates !

wanna fight *!!!!!!!!!

by shush - 2007-06-19 09:08
» shush...

Shut up you lamo fanboys...

by Mister Common Sense - 2007-06-19 09:13
» read the article!

That's why there is the dispute.



Immersion is trying to say the deal between Immersion and sony is simply a business deal, so they don't have to pay Microsoft. MS is saying it's part of a settlement, meaning MS gets part of it per their contract.



Anyway it will be interesting to see what happens. I like to see sony's sue-happy attitude bite them in the ass once in a while. Sony may have to pay Microsoft 25 cents per game when rumble is used. Ouch!

by Straight Up Hatin' - 2007-06-19 09:18
» ...

Be more than i pay your mom to put her cankles behind her head.

by Baert - 2007-06-19 09:27
» Sad

It is sad to see how far Microsoft would go for money. First when they saw Linux entering the gaming arena through the PS2 they so decided to enter the gaming arena so Xbox fanboys thank Sony cuz if it werent for them MS's nose would never be on the gaming arena. They (Microsoft) sure want to stick their nose on everything. Why don't they use their time to investigate the source of the Red Ring of Death issue their beloved (or should I say LOWER quality than Xbox 1) console has???

by Whyser - 2007-06-19 09:41
» Amazing

What amazes me is that Microsoft just sat there for so long while immersion kept begging Sony to reconsider putting rumble back into the Sixaxis.



If they had such a problem with it now, why didn't they do anything about it back then?



Microsoft is absolutely retarded, it's like some damn money making scheme just like when they were threatening open source Linux with those 200-some baseless patents.

by GOPAL892005 - 2007-06-19 09:45
» !

scared of what? the useless, gimmik, tilt function - no real gamer would use tilt over a thumbstick.

by GOPAL892005 - 2007-06-19 09:48
» !

whats wrong with all u ppl - MS is a corporate company + are out 2 make money,

"NOT Fair" - who would be fair when there is millions of £££ to b made?

by Albanian_Killa - 2007-06-19 10:05
» Yup

Yup, money is the only thing holding Microsoft. They have the worst products, and they know they're going to loose when Home releases, because the PlayStation 3 will offer a lot more features then the XBOX 360. I swear, I hope Immersion breaks a deal with Microsoft. And yeah, it's gay how they paid $50 Million for GTA Content

by taka - 2007-06-19 10:13
» mwahahahahahhaahhaahh

damn i like how microsoft play they game thats just business yall need to quit hattin on microsoft they just tryna get that money and win

by damonous - 2007-06-19 10:28
» Who's the Sue-master?

Mister Common Sense, known to be an ultra-MS-fanboy, makes no sense in these comments. If Sony is "sue-happy", then why is it Immersion sued them, and now Microsoft is suing Immersion? MS is the darkest of dark corporations: if they're not suing or forcibly acquiring competitors, then they're incorporating whatever their competitors are doing in their products (such as with Windows), and giving away for free ....until such time as the competitor folds because they can no longer make a profit (at which point, they crank the price to the sky). ---And yet, time-and-again, Mister Common Sense is trying to make MS and their 360 out to be the white horse.

by here we go - 2007-06-19 10:29
» soon microsoft will stuff up the gaming industry too!!

To all you M$ fanboys, u help M$ stuff up the pc industry and now I hope you learn your lesson when they send the gaming industry to crap, Go Nintendo and Go Sony!!!!

by Jimmy - 2007-06-19 10:36
» why didn't they do anything about it back then?

to make immersion lose more money in R+D



but I think this won't stop immersion business with sony

by Target Render - 2007-06-19 10:36
» Microsoft plays dirty, as always.

Soon they will own the entire earth, cause everybody let them have their way...



I say:



No Vista, No 360, No Zune, No office, No MS at all.



Anyone with me?



Wake up, before it's to late!

by YEs - 2007-06-19 11:05
» You, Target Render

Well enjoy your MAC. *snickers in the background*

by Target Render - 2007-06-19 11:19
» Mac is ****

PS3 and Linux...



Still, your missing the point...

by Devise - 2007-06-19 11:29
» ...

Immersion has *****ed with both Sony and MS. It's good to see that they are on the other end of the stick. It's funny to see Sony fanboys dissing MS over this. Immersion is the reason the PS3 doesn't have rumble, you should be hating Immersion here.

by mike - 2007-06-19 11:34
» funny

so ms paided take 2 50 mill so gta downloadable content will be exclusivee on the 360 and they want some of the money bake by sueing immersion, they have no lives and deserve to die

by sean - 2007-06-19 12:05
» me

im with ya bro!

by mohaas05 - 2007-06-19 12:05
» ...

microsofts gonna milk all the money out of immersion so they can buy them out.

by omg - 2007-06-19 13:09
» lol

This is MS stratagey to win the console war, buy out everthing with thier money, what a bunch of losers, why would you support a company that pays large sums of money to screw people over, its so sad

by Xervan - 2007-06-19 13:13
» uhhhhh....

This is just says to me. "Microsoft sues Immersion over Sony trying to better themselves." At least that's what it looks like.

by Ritterrav - 2007-06-19 13:31
» they

MS is pissed that sony got rumble back, because that was just another way for them to go, hey they dont even have rumble, and bla bla, now that they will get it back, MS is pissed and sewing Immersion...



One may argue, oh something so small would not make a difference in the console war and MS is not scared... But then why are they sewing?

by Dj Natas - 2007-06-19 15:40
» All Immerison has to do is

proved they had rumble in other products before XBOX! Why in the f*&k are they worried about vibration. It will not win them the Console War!

by nastradamus - 2007-06-19 17:17
» why does

Mister Common Sense hate the ps3 so bad? mommy wouldn't buy you both consoles so now you bash what you can't have?

or maybe he's just a homo who is obsessed with bill and wacks off to his picture. whatever the case, all one has to do is read one of his posts to see that he has a ps3 sized stick up has ass.



as for the lawsuit, if immersion did indeed breach the terms of the contract they have with MS then why shouldn't they have to pay? either way i doubt this will affect ps3 owners in any way.

by nastradamus - 2007-06-19 17:19
» ...

did you even read the article? if so read it again. what you're saying makes no sense.

by Rage against the machine - 2007-06-19 17:33
» Im a mac dude

Already beat ya too it i hate windows, i use Mac, its way better than micro$oft, same gose for the Ipod and same gose for Iwork and i life. And soon a Mac console.....yay

by dragon1980 - 2007-06-19 17:36
» this is complete BS

i agree with alot of your points of view. MS is slowly loosing the gaming war they should have stuck to what they new thats PCs and games for them. its just getting sooo pathetic that MS is slapping law suits left right and center to get money back that they have lost on the concole war

sucked in MS your day will come

because people are getting fed up with the dirty buisness deals and the backstabbing of fellow gaming companies.

but i guess money con buy you everthing except for happiness and popularity

by Rage against the machine - 2007-06-19 17:37
» APPLE RULES!!!!

Everything you see today was all becuz of apple, Windows.....Mac had it, Zune....Apple had ipod way before. Media center.....Apple control and esc. function. And soon to come an apple console.

by Nick the Wick - 2007-06-19 18:28
» MS bad?

Oooh, Microsoft is sooo bad! They just want to make money! But not Sony or Nintendo. Nooo. They have always the best of gamers in mind and they don't like money...



Yeah right. Wake up! All those companies have made similar stunts in the past and all three want to make as much profit as possible. Sony or Nintendo don't care jack s**t about us- the gamers - and same goes for Microsoft, of course.



So stop whining.

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-19 20:15
» Re: Mr common

Thanks for explaining how microsoft plays Mr Common... lol u helped me out this time.

by 98 - 2007-06-19 20:18
» 678

no, lets just keep the consoles where they belong:



in sony's and nintendo's hands.. maybe sega aswell, if they ever decide to create a console again.

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-19 20:19
» Actually...

I heard that microsoft is getting its own version (copying) of sixaxis. but that was a rumor I heard a long time ago...

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-19 20:25
» Re: GOPAL

U dumbas5 lol. A real gamer would like new things added. Everyone still plays with the thumbstick, but tilt add other buttons. Its ashame because I know if tilt was in your system you wouldnt be saying 5hit right now.

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-19 20:29
» Re: taka

Ok... what if you where at the other end of that ''business''? Make some sense you like it to happen to other people but if it where to happen to you, youd b pissed off.

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-19 20:38
» u kno...

Not everyone is a as5. just because a company has a big name you think there bad. Actually this shows what MS is about... but where have you seen anything like this with Sony or Nintendo?

by Alteridos - 2007-06-19 21:55
» Uhm.

Eclipze? Okay.. you do realize people go into business to make money, right?

by Babyface - 2007-06-19 22:59
» Patent crap

You can't "invent your own rumble" just like that. If your "invention" is anything like Immersion's, it conflicts with their patent, no matter if you looked at their technology or not.



Another proof of how patents are hindering innovation and are more and more used to battle the competition instead of protecting inventors.

by VSG - 2007-06-19 23:48
» tsk

Sony shouldnt have settled.

they should have given up on that rumble thing.

its hard to incorporate it into sixaxis, it will drain the battery life, make the motion control somehow awkward to at first and first gen ps3 buyers will feel ripped off because they have to purchase another controller.

by Karlos - 2007-06-19 23:54
» I smell 'Monopoly'

I agree with most people here, MS are scared. They slapped together a console and shoved it out the door a year before PS3 was finished, just to get thier piece of the pie before the King enters the ring (considering they came in halfway through ps2's life and expected to take over... LOL nice wish). So now the PS3 is out and is slowly gaining momentum and starting to improve their hardware, MS get scared and start zeroing in on the competitors sources? Now i would like to know what "certain business and IP licensing arrangements" Microsoft have with Immersion? What fkn intelectial property does Immersion use that Microsoft created? Did Microsoft create the rumble feature? (no they stole it the same way Sony did). It's just interesting how a mate of mine has had is XB360 for less than a year and now it is suffering a freezing problem. Apparently something to do with the cpu and heatsink. Hey Microsoft, hows about spending more time and effort and make a quality product!!! Oh wait, thats what Sony is for ^_^

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-20 00:09
» Uhm...

Alteridos. Yes I do. And do you realize that not every business makes there money by sueing the living 5hit out of everything?

by Eclipze_ - 2007-06-20 00:11
» there

improving there software too

by PSheddy - 2007-06-20 00:18
» @damonous

Maybe he's talking about the whole Lik-Sang thing... Thats really the main one I can think of.



Other than that it seems Sony has the worst luck.. hell they even have churches ready to sue them.

by PSheddy - 2007-06-20 00:23
» Agreed

I've always wanted to ask "How could you possibly support a company that deals the way they do, and makes half assed products"... but I didn't want to sound like a fanboy. Oh well I guess it's impossible not to sound like one with a statement like that, haha.

by Bobby - 2007-06-20 01:08
» Re: Eclipze_

"Not everyone is a as5. just because a company has a big name you think there bad. Actually this shows what MS is about... but where have you seen anything like this with Sony or Nintendo? "



Hmm do you ever remeber a site called lik-sang perhaps? Seems MS and nintendo had no problem with them it was just Sony giving them the shaft even after many sony employees bought their stuff from there.

by Mister Common Sense - 2007-06-20 01:55
» .

If I wanted a new control method, I would get a racing wheel or other special controller. I think tilt control is crap. Some aftermarket company makes a mod for the XBOX 360 controller to add tilt sensing, but it costs $35 and requires soldering. It's crap.

by Mister Common Sense - 2007-06-20 02:02
» baert is an idiot

I don't wan't to hear "how far MS would go for money." Not after the Lik Sang lawsuit with $ony.



Lik Sang was a small Hong Kong importer completely sued out of business by $ony simply for selling sony's own Japanese PSPs to other countries. Then $ony had the nerve to say they weren't responsible for they said Lik Sang didn't show up in court when they spent hundreds of thousands on a defense. Then $ony complained they were not reimbursed for their court costs. That's sony for you!



Sony, I hope you pay every penny of that 120 million for rumble in your suxaxis.

by GrayWolf323 - 2007-06-20 02:49
» wrong

bobby - both Microsoft and Nintendo had sued Lik-Sang as well in the past



http://www.zeropaid.com/news/1905/Sony,+Nintendo+and+Microsoft+vs.+Lik+Sang%20Sony,%20Nintendo%20and%20Microsoft%20vs.%20Lik%20Sang

by Joker - 2007-06-20 04:05
» MS products

The only time M$ makes a product that doesn't suck is when they make vacuum cleaners...

by dave - 2007-06-20 04:13
» with you

apple baby!!!

by xman - 2007-06-20 04:17
» M$ owns

well too bad because M$ will take over the gaming idustry and all you mac users will be left out. ps3 sucks and is maxed out as far as hardware. theres nothing else a dev can do to help it. get that money M$!!!!!

by itsblackmelop - 2007-06-20 04:58
» to xman

RE:PS3 sucks and is maxed out as far as hardware

how is that when the hardware hasn't seen any good light of day it's only what months it's out geez cause u don't know what u don't understand doesn't mean it's maxed out!!

by xman - 2007-06-20 05:20
» you jackbutt

when i say its maxed i mean that it has no more potential. it cant do nothing more. and if developers push it it will over heat and chop with slow frame-rate!! maxed out, redlined, finished

by Jared - 2007-06-20 06:02
» a real gamer..

A real gamer wouldnt use something called a wii-mote either....

by Jared - 2007-06-20 06:06
» Mr common sense

Mr common sense, they also sued them because they were selling software for the PS2 that enabled backing up (in other words, Piriting) PS2 games.



The products were Swap Magic, and an HDD solution.

by Jared - 2007-06-20 06:09
» Lets not go too far.

i use XP, like most people here and its a good OS, so dont diss it. IMHO macs are pieces of junk. they look cool, but they dont have the right apps to do anything productive, and the whole "i" prefix just friggin pisses me off, its so friggin stupid.

by Jared - 2007-06-20 06:13
» who cares

Microsoft came out with the first *useable* OS, so who cares? no one caught on to apple so thats why they only own 10% of the computer market. thats also why major computer manafacturing companies like dell and alienware, and 100's of others make PCs, and do not retail macs.



Bottom line, Macs are junk

by jared - 2007-06-20 06:18
» xman,

xman, your a complete idiot. Where are your sources about this?



Cell is 10x more efficient then the 360's CPU, thats why the ring of death is the result of hardware failure, mainly the CPU. And if a processor is pushed too hard, it wont lose preformance, it will just shut down, or fail, like the 360's hardware. so stop pulling things out of your as5, you dont know a thing.

by xman - 2007-06-20 06:30
» I'm a fkin homo

I have to admit that I hate on the PS3 because Microsoft sends me returned Xbox 360 power supplies to shove up my ass for eXXXtreme rectal pleasuring. You see, if I share my true feelings(that I'm hella jealous, poor and partially mentally retarded) then Microsoft won't send me any more power bricks to stick in my ass. I like two up there simultaneously while I pirouette like a wildman screaming "360 360 360, your revolution is cumming" and then lick my mess from the floor in my Mom's bathroom. Sorry guys I just HAVE to hate on the PS3.

by ABC-warrior - 2007-06-20 06:31
» the truth is that..

..Sony is on SixaxiS, Microsoft is just on an axis of evil.

by PSheddy - 2007-06-20 07:37
» @Greywolf

Wow I never really knew that.. thanks.. haha.

by Mr PS man - 2007-06-20 07:49
» @ Mabie A. (Qj.NET Staff)

OK !

sorry for my inappropriate language, I understand that.

But its my opinion and my comment the language fo my brain! ( inappropriate or not ) I think so ! thanks

by what the eff - 2007-06-20 08:48
» lawsuits

so M$ is *****ing with immersion because sony settled with them? What kind of BS is that?! M$ is such a crappy company when it comes to consoles. oh wait vista sucks too. so does the zune. looks like they *****ed up big time and now they're trying to get their money back. dont most companies make money back by improving their products? I guess M$ is too rich for that. They'd rather just pay some lawyers to take the money from someone else. well you gotta stay on top somehow when have companies like nintendo and sony on your ass.

by Darkatomz - 2007-06-20 10:23
» OMG

MICROSOFT = BS. they really want sony to not have rumble for no good reason now.

by Hellraiser - 2007-06-20 23:48
» .

They signed a contract with Immersion as part of their agreement way back idiot and Immersion isn't paying.

by mohaas05 - 2007-06-21 02:16
» yeah

who would u rather design your games. A buch of nerds from a bigass corporation or a bunch of supercool japanese ppl. Seriously thats why i just downloaded windows vista. I just screwed them $450 dollars. And who says ps3 is expensive when stupid windows costs almost that much.

by business is business, someone breaks a deal you go - 2007-06-24 06:28
» your all crazy, rumble sucks

1st sony and ms are in it for money, 2nd if ms made a deal with immersion before sony, than they can do what they want, especially if immersion did the dumb thing of not staying nuetural and signing an exclusive with ms, who knows maybe sony told immersion to go fist themselves, then heard everyone cry and decided to bring rumble back. i personally think the rumble sucks and the ps3 aint much better. i have both and ive got my ps3 on craigslist. dont get me wrong the ps3 is nice, slightly better graphics, way better sound, more features, but just isnt as fun, especially online. call of duty 3 looks better sounds better, but doesnt play better. and just to clear the air, sony will NEVER be able to offer the same online experience for free, it'll cost too much once they get the same ammount of people as, xbox live. live is one of the best networks in the world, period, and theres very few companies that can offer such. i WAS a ps3 fanboy before it came out, but after i owned it for a while and read the specs on it its a joke, disk speed read at 2x, 2x256 ram (which cannot be combined) and a video card that could be even better but isnt properly optimized is a joke. and on a side note, i have a macbook and i have a home built pc and an acer ferrari laptop, and mac sucks. real heavy duty computer users build there own and then run osx AND xp, so that it can do anything. mac is far to limited in its use of hardware, period.

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