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Work in Progress / Is "Pong" gameplay patented?

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Dark Schneider
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Joined: 9th Oct 2008
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Posted: 9th Oct 2008 14:32
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I am making a game based on "Pong" gameplay for SELL it, I have searched too for patents based on "pong", all I find is:

Pong history
http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/pong.htm

Pong US patent
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=3793483.PN.&OS=PN/3793483&RS=PN/3793483

US patents with "pong" as term
http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=0&f=S&l=50&TERM1=pong&FIELD1=TI&co1=AND&TERM2=&FIELD2=&d=PTXT

There is no results based on the gameplay, all patent is based on hardware itself, so making a gameplay similar but based on software (computer/console game) and using another type of handling device (gamepad, mouse, etc.) it is supposed the patent is not a problem.

There are others "Pong" based games today, like this one

http://www.xpong04.com/

and it seems there is no problem.

Please if you have some notice and/or references that indicates the Pong's gameplay is patented say it to me.

Thanks.
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Dark Schneider
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Posted: 9th Oct 2008 22:01
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Well, that dispels my worries, thanks.
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Bursar
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Posted: 10th Oct 2008 15:58
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And in any event, you'd be better off paying for a lawyer to look into these things rather than trust a bunch of 'random strangers' on the Internet (and I include myself in that as well!).
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Phosphoer
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Posted: 11th Oct 2008 02:18
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Aye gameplay isn't really patentable, otherwise there'd be about 5 games on the market. :p

That must be fantastic version of pong if you are going to sell it xD.

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Mr Kohlenstoff
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Posted: 12th Oct 2008 16:28
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And even if there was a patent... there are round about 7 million pong-games and I never heared of a pong-developer getting problems because he stole the gameplay-idea..

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