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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Can you put a price on an idea? In 2012, Uniloc sued Mojang over the Android version of Minecraft, alleging infringement of a software license-protection patent. Minecraft creator Markus Persson responded with a forceful critique of software patents, calling them “plain evil.” The case did not produce a court finding that Mojang infringed, and Persson’s criticism was about software patents—not intellectual property rights as a whole.
What Uniloc alleged in the Minecraft case
Uniloc USA, Inc. and Uniloc Luxembourg S.A. filed suit against Mojang AB on July 20, 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The case was docketed as 6:12-cv-00470. The complaint named Minecraft Pocket Edition, the Android version of Minecraft, and alleged that it infringed U.S. Patent No. 6,857,067. The complaint described an application communicating with a server to check a license and prevent unauthorized use. Those were allegations, not findings about Minecraft’s actual implementation or Mojang’s liability. The case record.
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The patent concerned preventing unauthorized access to electronic data. In its description of the patent, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) referred to license data stored on a portable licensing medium and a registration authority that verifies it. That description provides technical context; it does not establish that Minecraft used the claimed system. PTAB proceeding.
Why Persson called software patents “evil”
Markus Persson, Minecraft’s creator and Mojang’s founder, framed his objection specifically around software patents. Game Informer quoted him saying: “Software patents are plain evil. Innovation within software is basically free, and it’s growing incredibly rapid. Patents only slow it down.” Game Informer’s report.
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GamesBeat also reproduced a longer statement from Persson’s official blog: “There’s no way in hell you can convince me it’s beneficial for society not to share ideas. Ideas are free. They improve on old things, make them better, and this results in all of society being better. Sharing ideas is how we improve.” He went on to say: “Trivial patents, such as for software, are counterproductive, evil, and costly. If you own a software patent, you should feel bad.” These are Persson’s arguments about the effects of software patents, not a ruling about the case or a condemnation of every form of intellectual property. GamesBeat’s account.
The opposing argument: patents as protection against piracy
Ric Richardson, identified by GamesBeat as Uniloc’s founder, defended patent protection by arguing it helps software companies protect sales from piracy. He asked why someone would object to paying a royalty for technology that “stops up to a third of a software company’s sales from being lost to piracy.” That figure is Richardson’s assertion as quoted by GamesBeat, not an independently established measure of piracy or of Uniloc technology’s effectiveness. His response presents the opposing frame: developers need protection from unauthorized use, while Persson argued that patent rights can obstruct the sharing and reuse that drive software development. GamesBeat’s report.
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- Explore randomly-generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
- Play in Creative Mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armour to fend off the dangerous mobs
What happened to the patent and the lawsuit
PTAB review was not a final invalidity decision
In a separate proceeding, Mojang joined other game companies in petitioning for inter partes review of challenged claims in the same patent. On December 18, 2013, the PTAB instituted review after finding a reasonable likelihood of success for some claims. Institution is a threshold decision to proceed with review; it is not a final determination that the patent was invalid. PTAB proceeding.
The claims against Mojang were dismissed in 2016
The docket listing reports that the claims against Mojang were dismissed with prejudice on August 31, 2016, pursuant to a joint stipulation and motion. The available record cited here does not disclose settlement terms or establish a judicial decision on infringement merits. The dismissal therefore should not be described as a merits victory for either side, nor does it by itself resolve the separate patent-validity question. Docket listing.
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Why the dispute mattered beyond Minecraft
The case brought two different concerns into public view. Persson emphasized cumulative innovation: software often builds on shared ideas, and broad patent rights may burden reuse and incremental development. Richardson emphasized protection against piracy and the argument that patent rights can support investment in protective technology. Patent litigation also carries costs and can create leverage independently of whether infringement is ultimately established.
Those policy arguments are distinct from the legal questions raised by a particular patent dispute: what the patent claims cover, whether those claims are valid, and whether a product infringes them. The 2012 complaint alleged infringement; the PTAB later instituted review of some challenged claims; and the claims against Mojang were eventually dismissed by stipulation. None of those facts, on its own, supplies a judicial finding that Mojang infringed or a final ruling that the patent was invalid.
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Historical scale, in context
GamesBeat reported in July 2012 that Minecraft had sold more than 6.7 million PC units. The same article reported that more than 73 companies had received infringement complaints from Uniloc over nearly a decade. These are figures reported by GamesBeat at the time, not current totals or independently verified counts. GamesBeat’s 2012 report.
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- CREATE YOUR WORLD — Build whatever you imagine in an infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.
- EXPLORE AND CRAFT — Discover biomes, resources, and mobs, then craft your way through a sandbox world filled with surprises.
- SURVIVE THE ADVENTURE — Face mysterious foes, travel across exciting landscapes, and venture into perilous dimensions.
- PLAY TOGETHER — Play cross-platform with friends in Bedrock Edition on console, mobile, and PC, or join community servers in Java Edition on PC, Mac, and Linux. Online console multiplayer requires a platform-specific subscription (sold separately).
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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