Written by: Matt Moldovanyi

Associate Attorney

When was the last time you played a video game? This week? This month? Maybe you haven’t played one in years, or you never did (you don’t know what you are missing). You might be surprised to learn how many patents go into each of the systems and the games, outside of the expected type of patents. Below are some of the more unique patents you might find in your popular video game and video game system.

Imagine all the fun of playing driving games in the arcade where you can sit in the vehicle and pretend to drive around with the convenience of playing from home. Well, have I got the patent for you. U.S. Patent No. 8,210,534 discloses an inflatable vehicle for simulating a driving experience from home. The steering wheel has a compartment for receiving a controller, such as a Wii remote, so the user can “steer” the vehicle. And to up the realism, the inflatable vehicle even includes a front bumper, a rear bumper, a driver’s seat, and four tires.

Those abrasions from hours playing video games are a worry no more with the video game protective glove! The glove of U.S. Patent No. 4,519,097 leaves the fingertips exposed for greater sensitivity and feel of the controls while covering the rest of the hand. The glove does not look comfortable because it is short to leave the user’s wrist free and unfettered, but maybe after 2 hours of playing the user no longer notices how short the glove is.

These are just a few of the patents owned by video game companies. Do you have an idea to improve video game systems? Contact us today!