Ian Edwards wrote: >> Wotc is one of the few table top game companies that has a patent, >> they have >> patented the idea of a 'collectible card game' >> Which clearly is assinine, children made a game of trading cards long >> before >> obsure rules were added to the mix. > > Here's how rumors start. WotC did not patent 'collectible card games.' > Richard Garfield, the creator of Magic: the Gathering (the first true > CCG), got a patent on the act of 'tapping,' turning a card 90 degrees > clockwise to act as a memory marker that it had been used. He 'gave' > his patent to WotC, so they reap the benefits. Note that Dr. Garfield > is no longer an employee at WotC: he's a freelance game designer. > > Of course, even an avid gamer such as myself will admit it's kind of > ridiculous to get a patent on something like that... > > > To my knowledge companies like Decipher must pay royalties to Wotc for CCG's, I have googled the matter and what you say makes sense, there are other game related patents they somehow achieved, the specifics I'm curious about so I sent off an e-mail to them.