Bloodrayne developer targets Microsoft for infringing on game engine patents

Bloodrayne and Nocturne developer, Terminal Reality, has joined up with Infernal Technologies to launch a lawsuit against Microsoft. The two companies claim that the tech giant infringed on two of its patents, which relate to shadow and lighting techniques within video games.

Terminal Reality and Infernal Technologies claim that Microsoft wilfully infringed in its two patents and has been aware of them for several years. Apparently, Microsoft attempted to file a patent for similar lighting and shadow technology back in 2007 and was rejected due to Terminal and Infernal already covering it with their patents.

According to the lawsuit, several high-profile games have infringed, including Crackdown 1&2, Halo 5, PUBG for Xbox One, Sea of Thieves and several Forza titles.

Terminal Reality and Infernal Technologies previously sued EA over the same patent violations. In that case, EA tried to get a court to invalidate the patents, but the publisher was unsuccessful. In the end, the case was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

KitGuru Says: Microsoft is unlikely to let this go without a fight. However, the fact that EA was already pushed into settling doesn't bode well. We'll be keeping an eye on this to see where it goes in the future.

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