The Nintendo Switch is without a doubt one of the most successful pieces of hardware in 2017 and while it may seem like an original machine, it’s certainly not the first tablet with gaming controllers. This has also prompted parties to actually sue Nintendo for violating a patent or two.
The folks of Wikipad, who have a gaming oriented slate are ready for a suit against Nintendo. The whole idea of add-on controllers is in the mix here. They claim that the Switch and the removable Joy-Con controllers are too similar to the Gamevice approach for a detachable game controller, with a “flexible bridge section”. The party is asking for damages and a ban on Switch sales.
Gamevice hasn’t commented on the lawsuit and Nintendo neither. The Wikipad team had plans for a gaming tablet back in 2012 and it promised high end and unique features, like glasses free 3D and game streaming. Sadly, the product didn’t work out fine, on account of delays and a revamp and rethink of the device. The end result did get some traction, but Gamevice dropped it in favour of the gaming add ons for phones and tablets.
Of course one may argue that even Razer and Archos have ground to sue Nintendo because they have similar tablets, but the Switch is so much more. It’s a dockable machine, also a desktop console and a portable one. I say this case tilts in favour of Nintendo.
