rjung@castor.usc.edu (Robert allen Jung) (01/09/89)
In article <1244@fredonia.UUCP> sale5312@fredonia.UUCP (Marty Saletta) writes: > On the PBS (?) show Computer Chronicals,they reported that Atari is suing >Nintendo. Is this correct? Sorta. First, this is Atari _GAMES_, the arcade division owned by Warner. No relation to the Jack Tramiel/Mega ST Atari CORP. group. We've got enough problems with these Amiga smugheads and the "Atari == games" image, so let's clear that off the bat. > The reporter said that since Nintendo is >dominating the video game market,Atari was suing them,saying that it was >a monopoly. Sort of. See, when someone makes a game for the Nintendo, they have to get the "certification seal" from Nintendo. This is no mere rubber-stamp; Nintendo uses a customized chip in these cartridges, and they are the ONLY ones who make these chips. When someone like Konami makes a Nintendo game, they _order copies of their own games_ from Nintedo's factories, and then box them in their own boxes. Atari Games is suing on the grounds that Nintendo is _deliberately_ making less games than requested (under their "Tengen" label: The games are Gauntlet, RBI, and Pac-Man), and thus has a monopoly on the Nintendo cartridge market. Therein the lawsuit, in an effort to force Nintendo to speed up production and stop this riffraff. Also, Atari Games is claiming that they have managed to duplicate the customized chip Nintendo uses. Theoretically, this means Tengen games can now come out without the "Approved by Nintendo" seal. As a result, Nintendo is countersuing Atari Games... (Aren't lawyers fun?) That brings us up to three days ago (Nintendo announces countersuit). > I also remember something about the cartridge port of the >Nintendo being involved. Not the cartridge port, but the cartridges themselves. > Disclaimer:please don't think I'm starting rumours if Atari is not suing >them. The reception on my television was going in and out,since the channel >it was on is not offered from my cable system. I'm sorry if I am mistaken, >but I'd like more info if I'm right. You're right, if a little outdated. This first popped up about a month ago. But you know how it is, the "respectable" news services don't care to report on computer/video game news (anybody remember the Apple "look & feel" lawsuit against Microsoft? No news in a while, huh?) --R.J. B-) P.S. Anybody care to correct me if I'm wrong on any of this? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer: These are my views, and mine alone. # ## # Mailing address: Beats me, just reply to this message # ## # (rjung@nunki.usc.edu?) ## ## ## #### ## ####
stan@teroach.UUCP (Stan Fisher) (01/10/89)
>In article <1244@fredonia.UUCP> sale5312@fredonia.UUCP (Marty Saletta) writes: >> On the PBS (?) show Computer Chronicals,they reported that Atari is suing >>Nintendo. Is this correct? > Sorta. First, this is Atari _GAMES_, the arcade division owned by Warner. >No relation to the Jack Tramiel/Mega ST Atari CORP. group. We've got enough >problems with these Amiga smugheads and the "Atari == games" image, so ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >let's clear that off the bat. *** stuff deleted **** AMIGA SMUGHEADS!!!!! UP YOURS BUDDY !!!!! B^\ Let's not start name calling now! You sound a bit insecure to me, I've always thought ST's and Amigas were both good machines (though I have my preference being an "AMIGA SMUGHEAD" as you call it). You wouldn't be PARANOID, would you?