Just in: many news outlets report on Zenimax suing Oculus over misappropriation of trade secrets.
ArsTechnica has a good timeline of the "brawl" (too long to post here, but RTFA for it):
What started merely as strongly worded letters and back-and-forth accusations between Id Software parent company ZeniMax Media and VR headset maker Oculus has now turned into an actual legal case. ZeniMax today filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern Texas district accusing Oculus of misappropriation of trade secrets, copyright infringement, breach of contract, unfair competition, unjust enrichment, trademark infringement, and false designation.
In a statement, an Oculus spokesperson said "the lawsuit filed by ZeniMax has no merit whatsoever. As we have previously said, ZeniMax did not contribute to any Oculus technology. Oculus will defend these claims vigorously."
Popcorn, anyone?
(Score: 2) by monster on Thursday May 22 2014, @04:51PM
Yes, it looks like a money grabber and sour grapes. combined.
Also, misappropriation of trade secrets? There's no such thing. Either it's plain theft or it's not illegal, "trade secrets" haven't got any legal protection at all, that's what patents are for (and then they aren't secret anymore). Hiring employees who have experience in the field is not misappropriation either, unless they consider their brains as "company property".
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 22 2014, @05:29PM
Wikipedia begs to differ. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_secrets#Curren t_regulation [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2) by monster on Friday May 23 2014, @06:53AM
Ok, my comment was too categoric. Anyway, from the "Uniform Trade Secrets Act" page [wikipedia.org]:
Now, how does hiring an employee with specialized knowledge in the field fits in that definition? Unless he took code with him, it doesn't(*), and Carmack is no fool.
(*) Making "having worked in the same field" fit the definition would make 99% of technical employees unhireable.
(Score: 2) by elf on Thursday May 22 2014, @07:32PM
This started before FB took over so the FB money pit wasn't a motivation
The other interesting thing is Carmack said that he met someone who had a much better idea than he did and he dropped what he was doing. If this is true then I don't think Zenimax will have much of a case. I am sure with most of these court cases there is a lot from both sides we don't know.
I like both companies in this instance, I have much respect for ID and Bethesda as they have made some of my favorite games ever. But I see Oculus as a new innovator is a completely new space so I find it a shame that they are in the situation they are now...as someone else said...it will be popcorn time when this goes to court.