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“Patent trolls” threaten Clicker Heroes dev with legal action over virtual currency

PlaySaurus asked to pay $35 million licensing fee for violating a patent concerning the sale of virtual currency

“Patent trolls” threaten Clicker Heroes dev with legal action over virtual currency

LA-based developer Playsaurus has referred to a software firm as “patent trolls” after the studio was threatened with legal action over its use of virtual currency in Clicker Heroes.

The raster editing and conversation software firm GTX - not to be confused with the technology licensing firm GTX Corp - demanded PlaySaurus pays a $35 million licensing fee for violating a patent concerning the sale of virtual currency.

Specifically, the patent referred to relates to the use of “electronic tokens” such as the rubies that are used in Clicker Heroes.

In a blog post on the developer's website, Playsaurus CEO Thomas Wolfley claimed that the company is among a number of studios facing similar lawsuits.

Out of patents

The developer denied any infringement or wrong-doing and labelled GTX as “patent trolls” for trying to force it into paying the licensing fee to avoid “costly litigation”.

“I believe their claims are completely meritless and their behaviour to be abusive and terribly unethical,” said Playsaurus CEO Thomas Wolfley.

“As I am a major owner of Playsaurus, I see this as a personal attack, and the cost in my own time and well-being has already been significant and draining.

“It is a shame that the United States legal system can't provide a quick and easy way for us to punish them for these actions.”

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Staff Writer

Iain is a freelance writer based in Scotland with a penchant for indies and all things Nintendo. Alongside PocketGamer.Biz, he has also appeared in Kotaku, Rock Paper Shotgun, PCGamesN and VG24/7.