Valve s Steam Controller design looks like it is going to cost the firm US$4 million in damages as a US court has decided it infringed upon Corsair s Scuf Gaming designs. The particular infringement was in the implementation of back paddles on the controller. Notably, Microsoft paid Corsair s patent holding Ironburg Inventions $6 million to use the IP in its Xbox Wireless Elite performance controllers. Meanwhile, Valve intentionally disregarded the potential infringement, Ironburg lawyer Robert Becker, from Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP, told jurors during the case hearing.
Ironburg made seven infringement complaints in its case against Valve and the jury found in Ironburg s favour for all of them. Valve rolled out the Steam Controller back in 2015, and it was discontinued in 2019. As it was being withdrawn it seems like the combination of its unique qualities, maturing support and drivers, and cut-price made the controller a highly desirable product. Now, perhaps we know why product
Valve s Steam Controller design looks like it is going to cost the firm US$4 million in damages as a US court has decided it infringed upon Corsair s Scuf Gaming designs. The particular infringement was in the implementation of back paddles on the controller. Notably, Microsoft paid Corsair s patent holding Ironburg Inventions $6 million to use the IP in its Xbox Wireless Elite performance controllers. Meanwhile, Valve intentionally disregarded the potential infringement, Ironburg lawyer Robert Becker, from Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP, told jurors during the case hearing.
Ironburg made seven infringement complaints in its case against Valve and the jury found in Ironburg s favour for all of them. Valve rolled out the Steam Controller back in 2015, and it was discontinued in 2019. As it was being withdrawn it seems like the combination of its unique qualities, maturing support and drivers, and cut-price made the controller a highly desirable product. Now, perhaps we know why product
The accusations come from Ironburg Inventions, the IP-holding branch of controller maker SCUF, Law360 reported.
The trial is taking place on Zoom due to COVID-19 restrictions, with opening arguments seeing Ironburg s lawyer Robert Becker explaining that Valve was warned in 2014 that its Steam Controller, only a prototype then, was featuring the same rear-side control surfaces Ironburg had just patented.
Valve carried on with its prototype though, releasing the Steam Controller in 2015 and selling 1.5 million units as of September 2018.
The patent in question is U.S. Patent No. 8,641,525, which was filed in 2011 by Simon Burgess and Ironburg CEO Duncan Ironmonger. It has since then been licensed to Microsoft for its Xbox controllers.