MMO makers are in a bit of hot water right now. A bunch of them, including heavyweights Blizzard, Sony, and NCSoft, are currently being sued by a New York company for alleged patent infringement. While patent lawsuits have become an almost everyday thing, this one is noteworthy in its scope and that the complainant is PalTalk, who successfully forced Microsoft to settle a US$ 90 million lawsuit over the same patents earlier this year.

Interplay is in trouble, it seems. The company's recent 10-K financial report has revealed that Bethesda is already claiming a breach in the two companies' license agreement for the Fallout MMO.

Hosts of illegal online game servers and users who choose to avoid official services need be warned, because NCsoft is on the case. The most recent development of the popular MMORPG company's efforts to crack down pirates nailed an internet cafe with unauthorized Lineage 2 servers to Greek court, and more perpetrators will be charged if caught. More details await at the full article.

Antigame activist lawyer Jack Thompson is back! This time he is suing Florida’s legal regulatory association for conspiring “against his rights as a citizen”. This after he lost a court battle with game-industry players, including the makers of Grand Theft Auto. Thompson believes “the Bar has been collaborating with opposing lawyers in his lawsuits over Grand Theft Auto and Howard Stern, encouraging them to file Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation (SLAPP) complaints against him for over a year and a half.” For those of you who missed that episode of Law and Order, SLAPP complaint is a lawsuit “intended to discourage a party from expressing a certain point of view by intimidation and the burden of legal costs associated with defending oneself against the complaint.” Thompson has been leading a crusade to stop violent video games. Depending on which side you’re on, he’s either a hero or a jerk. Gamers recently came up with the "Jack Thompson Toilet Paper."  At least we know where they stand.