Sony, Blizzard, Activision, NCsoft, Turbine named in patent suit

In March, Paltalk Holdings leveled a hefty $90 million lawsuit against software giant Microsoft. Paltalk's claim centered on two of its patents, which create a solution for computers to effectively communicate with one another in online-gaming situations. As it turns out, Paltalk's claim stood on strong enough legs for Microsoft to settle the case for an undisclosed sum, midway through the trial, in June.

Now, Paltalk has its sights set on a number of other game-industry heavyweights, including Sony Computer Entertainment and several of its divisions, Activision Blizzard, NCsoft, Turbine, and Jagex. At issue, again, is Paltalk's computer-to-computer synchronization patents, which, as noted by Paltalk's lawyer Max Tribble as part of its Microsoft suit, involve "technology for ways to control interactive applications over multiple computers."

Paltalk's current suit doesn't shy away from the high-profile games in each of the aforementioned company's catalogues. Games specifically named in Paltalk's suit that are purportedly in violation of the company's patents include Guerrilla Games' Killzone 2, Evolution Studios' Motorstorm, EverQuest I and II, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and World at War, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, Lord of the Rings Online, and Runescape.

Notably, Paltalk's suit notes that Sony, Activision, and Blizzard had previously been licensees of the technology, which it bought from Mpath Interactive in 2001. The suit notes that as early as 1997, Sony had allegedly used Mpath's technology as part of its Web site The Station. Likewise, Activision had allegedly begun using the technology in 1997, while Blizzard had purportedly employed the same patents since 1995.

Due to what it claims to be a willful violation of its patents, Paltalk is seeking damages that total three times what they would normally be against Sony, Activision, and Blizzard. The company has also petitioned the court to prevent the companies from continuing to violate its patents, among other requests.