Nintendo Wins 15-Year Lawsuit Over Wii Controller Patent

Nintendo has won a lawsuit over the Wii that has been ongoing for 15 years.

The lawsuit was against Bigben Interactive (now Nacon), with Nintendo alleging that the accessories manufacturer had infringed on its patents by creating a third-party controller that was compatible with the Wii.

Nintendo filed the lawsuit in 2010, but Bigben argued that customers who did not buy their controller would have sought out other third party manufacturers. The court was unconvinced, saying that those third-party manufacturers would also be found in violation of the patents, and ruled in favor of Nintendo back in 2011.

Now, after years of delaying the damages, Nacon has been ordered to cough up $8.2 million in damages, legal fees, and interest to Nintendo. That said, Nacon has filed for an appeal, so it is possible, if unlikely, that the legal battle will continue if they are successful.

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