UPDATE: Madden Creator Suing Electronic Arts, EA Responds Claim Utterly Without Merit

[TNT713]

Someone is going to need some really good lawyers.

Later

[TreFacTor]

i wonder how this goes in court, the guy as evidence pops in M11 and M89 and shows the scripts are the same or similar code... I hope he wins and in the process drops a bombshell on the gaming community... but the guy will most likely be paid up nicely and the case never sees the light of day.

[mestevo]

Quote: Originally Posted by TreFacTor

i wonder how this goes in court, the guy as evidence pops in M11 and M89 and shows the scripts are the same or similar code... I hope he wins and in the process drops a bombshell on the gaming community... but the guy will most likely be paid up nicely and the case never sees the light of day.

What bombshell is there to be dropped on the gaming community?

The way this goes is EA asks for it to be dismissed, and a judge considers how credible/possible it is for his claim to have any merit. If his only proof is some statements in an interview by EA's founder then this isn't going to go very far IMO.

He wouldn't have access to 'scripts' prior discovery for a trial most likely.

[TheDelta]

Quote: Originally Posted by TreFacTor

i wonder how this goes in court, the guy as evidence pops in M11 and M89 and shows the scripts are the same or similar code...

Won't happen. As simple as this. It's technologically impossible. The original Madden was developed in 1988 on what? Apple II or MS-DOS? M11 was developed in 2010 on the XBox360. It's simply impossible for there to be any similarities in code between those games warranting such a lawsuit.

That said, I'm sure the lawsuit is actually a lot more complicated than this and I'm not a lawyer (and from europe, so my experience with american law is limited), so I'm just speaking about the code of the game.

[Gorilla Glass]

The Madden series was his idea and no one knows what agreement he and EA has. It will play out.

[roadman]

Quote: Originally Posted by Gorilla Glass

The Madden series was his idea and no one knows what agreement he and EA has. It will play out.

Actually, it was Trip Hawkins idea and he went to John Madden for his ideas. Madden told Hawkins if it isn't 11 vs 11, I don't want anything to do with it.

Hawkins worked for EA at the time.

As other posters have said, it will play out, but it won't reach court or if it does, a judge may dismiss it.

We'll see.

[Cre8]

Only a matter of time before EA collapses in on itself.

Whether this guy has a case or not (statute of limitations, much?... his weak claim of original program architecture or whatever it is can easily be lied about on EA's part) I hope this brings some light to the shady practices of game companies and CEOs.

Bobby Kotick is a primary example of everything wrong with the gaming industry. While he is Activision's CEO (not EA's) I am convinced that game companies are getting ready to buckle under their own weight.

[huskerwr38]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cre8

Only a matter of time before EA collapses in on itself. Whether this guy has a case or not (statute of limitations, much?... his weak claim of original program architecture or whatever it is can easily be lied about on EA's part) I hope this brings some light to the shady practices of game companies and CEOs. Bobby Kotick is a primary example of everything wrong with the gaming industry. While he is Activision's CEO (not EA's) I am convinced that game companies are getting ready to buckle under their own weight.

What makes you say this?