UKTerrorist

Valve Wins Cyber Cafe Rights

Posted by Myers at 09:10 30/11/2004.

Half-Life developers Valve Software have announced that they have won summary judgements motions in their copyright infringement case against publishers Vivendi. Valve originally filed the motion due to Vivendi distributing their software to internet cafés worldwide. Since then the case has been plagued with motions and counter-motions.

Gamespot.com briefly explain the history:

On August 14, 2002, Valve served its then-publisher Sierra On-Line (now Sierra Entertainment, a Vivendi Universal Games brand) with a lawsuit in the US District Court claiming Sierra had illegally placed Valve games in Internet cafés in the US and abroad. The original complaint read in part, "Sierra has in the past and continues to reproduce, use, distribute, and/or license one or more of the Valve Games with regard to 'cyber cafés. Sierra's activities are outside the scope of Sierra's limited license...and therefore constitute copyright infringement in violation of the Copyright Act of 1976"

Good news then for Valve and their Cyber-cafe program. Following the ruling a Valve spokesperson stated:

"Valve is still pursuing its breach of contract claims for, among other things, Vivendi refusing to pay us royalties owed and delaying Condition Zero [for] the 2003 holiday season. Additionally, the court still has to determine the amount of damages attributable to Vivendi's distribution of Valve games to cyber cafés"

Budding lawyers amongst you may wish to read the court order.