Sega v Omni Micro Technology

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Courtseal GB HighCourtofJustice.png
Sega Enterprises Inc. v. Omni Micro Technology Ltd.
Court: High Court of Justice[1]
Argued: 1981-12[2]
Decided: 1982-01[3]
Holding
The court held that Omni Micro Technology's manufacturing and sale of Leapfrog infringed upon the rights of Sega Enterprises, Inc.[1]

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Sega Enterprises Inc. v. Omni Micro Technology Ltd. is a 1981 case in which Sega Enterprises sued Omni Micro Technology, a Blackburn, England-based video game manufacturer[1] which distributed a Frogger clone name Leapfrog.[2]

History

In December 1981, Sega Enterprises, Inc. filed a lawsuit against the company for illegally distributing a clone of Frogger named Leapfrog.[2] Deemed to be a "substantial copy" of the original game, Sega obtained orders to seize infringing goods and documents relating to the title from Omni's offices. The company was also forced to provide written notification to England's High Court promising to desist from any further acts of infringement.[2][4]

Results

Following the lawsuit, Omni appears to have entered into an agreement with Sega Enterprises to properly license and distribute Frogger through their signature Gamepack system, being advertised as early as January 1982 - the following month.[3][5] Fittingly, the company featured this newly-acquired official license front and center in print ads, now boasting "the support of the world's major 'original' game manufacturers".[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 https://archive.org/details/play-meter-volume-8-number-2-january-15th-1982/Play%20Meter%20-%20Volume%208%2C%20Number%202%20-%20January%2015th%201982/page/52/mode/2up?q=sega&view=theater
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 File:CashBox US 1981-12-12.pdf, page 45
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://archive.org/details/leisure-play-3-2/page/n43/mode/2up?q=omni+gamepack
  4. ↑ K Horowitz (2018). The Sega Arcade Revolution: A History in 62 Games
  5. ↑ https://forums.sonicretro.org/index.php?threads%2Fgeneral-questions-and-information-thread.26211%2Fpage-129#post-1048187 (Wayback Machine: 2023-07-27 10:02)
  6. ↑ File:Frogger AC UK printad OmniMicroTechnology Gamepack.png
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