Patent for Loading Screen Games expires on November 27

Remember all those mini-games you could play while a screen was loading your actual game? 

 

Well Namco Bandai had exclusive rights to that idea by holding the patent with publication number “US5718632 A”, which is described as: “A recording medium, a method of loading games program code, and a games machine is provided. 

 

The recording medium has a program code relating to an auxiliary game and a program code relating to a main game. 

 

The size of the auxiliary game program code is small compared to the size of the main-game program code, and the relationship between the auxiliary game program code and the main-game program code is such that the auxiliary game program code is loaded first, before the main game program code. 

 

Unnecessary wastage of time can be prevented by first loading the smaller, auxiliary game program code into the games machine, before the main-game program code is loaded, then loading the main-game program code while the auxiliary game is running.

 

That patent, filed on November 27, 1995, will finally expire this year after two decades of ownership by the company according to a report by Kotaku. 

 

This means the floodgates will be open to developers who want to start developing mini-games for players to entertain themselves while their main game loads, but it will certainly take some time for that to become a reality. Publishers can only integrate the idea once the expiration takes effect.

 

A great explanation for how Namco got to hold the patent was written by David Hoppe of Gamasutra.

 

Back in the 90’s, they had the brilliant idea of making a Galaga mini-game for Ridge Racer to let players pass the time while leading up to the racing game. 

 

They patented the idea, and since then had “exclusivity” to a point in getting most of their titles playable mini games while things loaded up to the main game itself.  — ELR, GMA News