Some Nintendo controllers could get yanked from store shelves

by David Hinkle { Jul 22nd 2008 at 6:00PM }

Remember that recent lawsuit that didn't work out in Nintendo's favor? Then they tried to appeal and failed? Yeah, things aren't looking so hot for Nintendo right now. And the latest on this debacle, courtesy of Bloomberg, doesn't look good for the house that Mario built.

U.S. District Judge Ron Clark denied Nintendo's appeal for a new trial. In Lufkin, Texas, Clark said that he planned to ban further sales of Nintendo's Wii Classic Controller, WaveBird controller and Nintendo GameCube, but must wait for another appeal from Nintendo (this one is headed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit) to go through. Judge Clark is set to issue this ban tomorrow, unless Nintendo posts a bond or puts royalties into an escrow account, which will then stop the ban.

Thankfully for Nintendo, the Wiimote and Nunchuk controllers both have been recognized as not violating Anascape's patent. So, sales of each of these peripherals should not be affected by all of this.

Tags: anascape, business, classic-controller, gamecube, lawsuit, patent, wavebird

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Almadi @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:11PM

About time, it took a lawsuit to get Nintendo to stop selling those awful classic controllers. Maybe after they pay off whatever-their-name-is they can launch some truly wireless controllers for the VC.

meist3r @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:14PM

Glad I got myself a GameCube pad a while ago. But I highly doubt people will have to stop selling these on ebay or such. If I was a vendor I'd simply break the seals on all my "new" GameCube controllers and sell them as used. Prices are surely NOT going down because of this.

pjsingh @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:23PM

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shadow31 @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:46PM

So, does this mean stores are only getting no more shipments? Or are they unable to sell what they even have? I mean, if I go to a store tomorrow, will I still be able to buy a classic controller?

J rod @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:47PM

Nintendo must have been prepared for this problem.
Remember this patent?
http://nintendo.joystiq.com/2008/07/10/new-nintendo-patent-reveals-old-classic-controller/

Ianiscool @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:03PM

i need to pick up a classic controller soon so that i wont have to play snes games with my gc controller.

Kogen @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:52PM

Nintendo will just make a new controller. I would not worry.

CubeGuy @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:08PM

I'm confused. What patent was Nintendo infringing on?

kavorka @ Jul 22nd 2008 9:49PM

Serves Nintendo right for trying to dick us all around with expensive, *required* new nick-knacks. Show me some software, and I'll support you.

Maxx the Slash @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:40AM

Why are they trying to ban the Classic Controller? it's friggen modeled after the SNES controller, with two extra shoulder buttons. Where was the ban THEN?

Atlantis1982 @ Jul 23rd 2008 4:25AM

Did a midnight run to pick up one more CC just so I have a second for someone to use.

Garst @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:05AM

Who do we have to whine* to in order that this order doesn't force us into having to buy over-priced, shity-ass Anascape controllers? I sure as Hell wouldn't buy any third-party controllers after the problem when I was buying the controllers when I bought my GameCube.

*I used whine because I know some jackass is going to go "stop whining and get over it," even though that idiot has no clue what whining even means.