Sega v Omni Micro Technology

From Sega Retro

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]


“ We are particularly pleased with the quick and effective action which has been taken in England to prevent game copying activities. We will continue to take an aggressive position to deter these types of illegal activities from occurring in the future. „

— David Rosen[1]


Magazine articles

Main article: Sega v Omni Micro Technology/Magazine articles.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 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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