Sometimes people come up with some rather novel ideas. Notch, the guy who created the rather popular game Minecraft, is facing a lawsuit from Bethesda over his latest project titled Scrolls. Normally I don’t do any reporting on the video game industry but Notch presented an excellent idea for resolving this lawsuit that would be both cheap and effective:
I challenge Bethesda to a game of Quake 3. Three of our best warriors against three of your best warriors. We select one level, you select the other, we randomize the order. 20 minute matches, highest total frag count per team across both levels wins.
If we win, you drop the lawsuit.
If you win, we will change the name of Scrolls to something you’re fine with.
Regardless of the outcome, we could still have a small text somewhere saying our game is not related to your game series in any way, if you wish.
I’d say that’s a rather splendid means of resolving a conflict. Instead of paying lawyers millions of dollars to fight in a court of law you can hire some kids, pay them in game-related merchandise, and let everything be resolved via virtual death match. This is something companies need to seriously start considering.