I would strongly dispute the idea that the death of the MMO is “bad news for PC gaming” from an end-user perspective.

The first claim of the earlier case is as follows:

“1. In a system for interaction between a plurality of users in a three-dimensional, computer-generated graphical space where the system includes at least one server coupling a plurality of clients where each client addresses a client display, a method of representing interactions among the plurality of clients on a display of a target client comprising the steps of:
identifying a position of a local avatar of a user of the target client, the position being a position relative to the graphical space;
determining a maximum displayable avatar count for the target client;
determining a total avatar count for the server, wherein the total avatar count indicates the number of clients connected to the server;
when the total avatar count is greater than the maximum displayable avatar count for the target client, limiting the number of avatars processed by the target client to the maximum displayable avatar count, wherein the step of limiting is performed at the target client; and
displaying, on the client display, the avatars processed by the target client.”

Simply put, if WoW or any of the others don’t implement all of the steps of this method, then they don’t infringe the claim.

In addition, if there is prior art available before 1996 that describes this method, then this claim may be invalid.

The second case, while filed in 2000, is actually a continuation of the first application, which complicates things a bit as it too can be backdated to 1996. This case also appears to have a broader claim 1:

“1. A method for enabling a first user to interact with other users in a virtual space, wherein the first user and the other users each have an avatar and a client process associated therewith, and wherein each client process is in communication with a server process, wherein the method comprises:
(a) receiving a position of less than all of the other users’ avatars from the server process; and
(b) determining, from the received positions, a set of the other users’ avatars that are to be displayed to the first user,
wherein steps (a) and (b) are performed by the client process associated with the first user.”

Without saying anything about what prior art might be available prior to ‘96, it would appear that the claims of the second patent would be harder to avoid.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5439604.ece

Only really relevant to fellow Brits, but if I get the jist of it, the police may legally gain access to your PC and files without a warrant showing due cause etc.
Lousy liberty-infringing government. :(

Anyone with common sense knows where that leads.

“scalable virtual world client-server chat system”

was filed in 1996. So the first only covers server side chat, like in many really basic MUDs that have already been mentioned had for ages before the patent was filed.
And the second

“system and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space”

in 2001, seems even weaker. Early multi-player FPS had users “interacting” in 3d “virtual space.” The famous Quake 3 had been around for 2 years IIRC. (I may not though :D)

And arguably Doom’s LAN mode, released in 1993, invalidates both patents.

Seems weak to me.

“I brought my charm into the world, allowing up to four people to play together”.

Did people talk?

“Why yes. How else could they share obscenities?”

Fascinating! But why only four people?

“We didn’t have the technology capable of more. Given a few years, I’m sure we could’ve had hundreds of people playing together”.

And there we have it! You heard it yourself! A “scalable virtual world client-server chat system” and “system and method for enabling users to interact in a virtual space” in 1993, 3 years before the first patent was placed! Similarly, a Mr. Ultima Online began his life in 2005 and was shown to the world in May 2006, 6 months before the first patent was filed. These patents cannot be held due to patenting ideas and inventions of other people that already existed. I rest my case.

PS: I’m guessing that if there is a jury, half will be WoW fans, while the rest play other MMOs or have dabbled.