Konami sues Roxor Games

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http://www.konami.co.jp/en/news/topics/050511/

Konami of Japan has officially filed suit against Roxor Games, makers of In The Groove on the grounds of trademark and patent infringement. They are seeking financial damages and an injunction against product distribution. (taken from DDR Freak)
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For anyone who doesn't want to read it, basically Roxor games makes a game called In The Groove which is a DDR ripoff (it's supposedly a good game). They designed the first game to use Konami's DDR arcade cabinets.

Why did Konami wait until now? I wonder if it's because they thought ITG wouldn't be popular and wouldn't have to worry about it but now that it's gaining popularity, they are afraid the game, especially the PS2 version will hurt their DDR sales.

It's not surprising they did this, since they also sued Andamiro years ago over Pump It Up
 
I saw, very sad. Although I have my ITG preorder from Red Octane, so I'm all set for awhile. I wonder if production of ITG PS2 will be halted, and the copies already shipped out will become ultra rare!

But really, Konami is a bunch of bitches. They haven't released an arcade game in years, and unless they're planning something new (which they're not), then it's just them being greedy. Either put up or shut up, and Konami hasn't put up in years.
 
I agree, Konami needs to release a new arcade mix. Everyone is getting tired of Extreme (it doesn't help almost every arcade has upgraded to Extreme).

It also doesn't help that the recent home versions other than Ultramix 2 have sucked IMO. I thought Extreme US was a joke and Festival was just as bad.

Even if they don't release new arcade mixes, I would be happy with home mixes like a new arcade mix (new Konami originals and new Dancemania songs)

The only thing I didn't like about ITG was how it did use DDR cabinets. In my area DDR machines are almost non existant and I would have been upset if one of the few DDR machines I had access to was converted to ITG (not that it was a problem in the end though since I have never even seen an ITG machine). But since ITG 2 has it's own cabinet, I don't care that much anymore.
 
But really, Konami is a bunch of bitches. They haven't released an arcade game in years, and unless they're planning something new (which they're not), then it's just them being greedy. Either put up or shut up, and Konami hasn't put up in years.
Click to expand...

So I take it you know nothing of copyright/patent laws?

Also, they've announced some new games, so they ARE planning something new. Oh, maybe you're talking about the arcade? Have you been told directly by Konami? Or was it a friend of a friend of a friend whose girlfriend's sister's mother knew a guy who emailed someone in Konami once?

In The Groove used the 4 arrow setup exactly. They didn't even bother to make their own arcade cabinet at first. You HAVE to use a DDR cabinet for it. But, oh yes, Konami is just being greedy :roll:
 
I was talking to a friend a few days ago that knows way more about the suit than I do, and I guess that ITG is different enough from DDR, so the suit doesn't regard the software (so the PS2 version should be safe), but rather the fact that the arcade software is for use in Konami's cabinets.
 
[quote name='KingSpike']So I take it you know nothing of copyright/patent laws?

Also, they've announced some new games, so they ARE planning something new. Oh, maybe you're talking about the arcade? Have you been told directly by Konami? Or was it a friend of a friend of a friend whose girlfriend's sister's mother knew a guy who emailed someone in Konami once?

In The Groove used the 4 arrow setup exactly. They didn't even bother to make their own arcade cabinet at first. You HAVE to use a DDR cabinet for it. But, oh yes, Konami is just being greedy :roll:[/QUOTE]

You are somewhat correct, in that Konami's only (legal) problem with ITG is that it uses Konami DDR cabinets.

As far as Konami and DDR: Their recent home offerings have been pitiful at best. I was referring to their abandonment of the arcade scene. There hasn't been a new DDR arcade mix in over 3 years, and there are no signs of one being made. There has just been a new PS2 game announced for Japan, in which they say "DDR is starting over. And you thought it was dead?" But like I said, this was a PS2 game announcement. I'll believe a new arcade mix when I see it, but it doesn't look good.

And that's just Japan. We technically haven't gotten a new US official release since DDR USA (which was terrible). All those DDR Extreme machines you see at the arcades? They're technically illegal, and shouldn't even be over here. But Konami doesn't seem to care about that.

So like I said, Konami needs to get on the ball. Don't claim that "yeah, we're still releasing home games", when they suck huge balls. But once again, the legal suit doesn't involve the home games. It's about the arcade games, and Konami hasn't released a new game in almost 3 years. If they had a new arcade mix, then I'd cut them some slack, but until then it just makes them look like the bitter old man who doesn't want to see a lively young upstart taking over the business.
 
Konami needs to be convinced that a new arcade mix can make money. If it's dying/dead in Japan, then they need to turn to America. If it is selling enough home versions, then they may consider getting a third party to make a new cabinet (because their American Arcade division is closed). So the DDR home games need to not only be profitable on their own (and with the red tape and cost of licensed music in America, it isn't always easy to have a wide variety of good/licensed songs and make the game profitable) but it also has to make enough money to convince them that going the extra step with an arcade mix would be worthwhile.

It COULD be seen that the suit against Roxor is a step towards Konami making a new arcade machine. If they sold an Extreme machine to someone (whether in Japan or techinically-illegal-America) then they would make money whether or not ITG was later installed. When you upgrade from 3rd mix to 5th mix Konami makes money off of both. If they aren't planning on DOING something with those machines, then there isn't as much of a point in filing this suit.

If Konami is doing nothing with arcade machines and not making a new mix, then they won't be missing out on money if an arcade owner buys ITG and uses the DDR cabinet. However, if they're planning something, then they wouldn't want their machines to be replaced (the DDR name would then not be as evident in the market and would be replaced by ITG) AND if Roxor can just take a DDR machine and gut it then Konami would be helping Roxor with their business by letting the suit slide. Roxor wouldn't need to put forth the effort to make their own machine (which they ARE doing with ITG2 I believe).

So although it's no guarentee that they're making a new arcade mix, it would be nice. But to say that this suit is just Konami being greedy is foolish. What money are they losing from Roxor using the DDR cabinet? The only thing I can think of is that the DDR name would not be as evident in the arcade scene, and so when people wanted to buy a home mix they would say "Gee, I see ITG in the arcades...what is this DDR stuff? Oh, I'll just get the thing I know."

I thought it was funny that DDR Freak got listed in the paperwork =D
 
Actually, yes Konami is a bunch of greedy bitches. :) And before you start calling me a heretic,
Bear this in mind- I worked for them in the arcade division. They promised all of the arcade operators that there would be upgrades after DDR USA. Then they said "Nevermind, you have to buy a brand new cabinet!" And because operators could pick up the illegal imports, and get them for supermegacheep, they basically said "Piss off Konami!"
 
[quote name='KingSpike']*snip*
It COULD be seen that the suit against Roxor is a step towards Konami making a new arcade machine. *snip*


*snip* But to say that this suit is just Konami being greedy is foolish. What money are they losing from Roxor using the DDR cabinet? *snip*[/QUOTE]

1.They are still making games they are being brought in officialy via betson.

2. Konami threw a fit when the first DDR was brought in to the Houston market (officially). Sold one to gallery furniture, (look them up on the net) - HUGE marketing program was going to go forth with radio spots, tv ads, and the game at the front of the store. NO COST to Konami whatsoever! He was also going to sell them to homeowners. Konami threatened to fire me and sue gallery furniture.

Why?

Because they viewed it as bad because the game was not in an arcade.
 
[quote name='stick97']1.They are still making games they are being brought in officialy via betson.

2. Konami threw a fit when the first DDR was brought in to the Houston market (officially). Sold one to gallery furniture, (look them up on the net) - HUGE marketing program was going to go forth with radio spots, tv ads, and the game at the front of the store. NO COST to Konami whatsoever! He was also going to sell them to homeowners. Konami threatened to fire me and sue gallery furniture.

Why?

Because they viewed it as bad because the game was not in an arcade.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but that's not really greedy. That's just plain stupid.

I don't think that Konami is necessarily greedy. I think that they often make decisions based off of what they think is right (but it's more just dumb and they're stubborn). Also, Konami of Japan doesn't really let KOA do whatever they want. For example, KOA had a poll with DDR Freak about the best and worst songs in DDR. It was supposed to help decide what would be in the next game (Konamix). Let Them Move (not surprisingly) was dead last. And yet it got in to the game. Fans were furious! But it wasn't that KOA blew off the fans. It was that KOJ (for some insane reason) likes that song and they said "you HAVE to put it in." Jason Enos told me that he considered himself lucky to get them to agree to never put it in a game again. But KOA is not given free reign of the DDR series, and often KOJ will tell them to do something that the fans think is ridiculous. Greedy? No. Stupid? Oh yes.

KOJ also wasn't happy with DDR Freak when DDR Freak Radio started. It's a live 365 station that broadcasts Bemani music. They didn't like it not because of money issues. They were upset with us because we didn't ask for permission, and they felt that we should have. They thought it was disrespectful of us.

I'm sure that Konami has made some greedy decisions (like your previous post about the upgrade/new cabinet). But my general vibe from them is not that they're greedy, but that they make some poor decisions on what they think is right and what should be done. In the end they actually screw themselves out of MORE money.
 
Wow, I knew Konami made some bad decisions about DDR but I had no idea that it was to the extent of the stuff that has been posted in this thread like the gallery furniture, or Konami of Japan ignoring the poll about what songs people wanted (or didn't want) in Konamix.
 
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