The Zenimax–Oculus case is over, but the penalty was modified.
In February 2017, the court ruled that Oculus has to pay 500 million dollars to ZeniMax Media, the owners of Bethesda, due to Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus, breaking a non-disclosure agreement. However, on Wednesday, Ed Kinkeade, another judge, decided to modify it to 250 million dollars. 200 million for breach of contract, and 50 for copyright infringement. Zenimax‘ request to ban the Oculus Rift has been also wiped off the table – the headset will not be taken off the shelves. Instead, they will receive 54 million dollars in interest.
Bloomberg reports that Zenimax is pleased with the outcome, but they are disappointed in the change of fine that Oculus has to pay: „Based on a strong evidentiary record, the jury, in this case, found that ZeniMax was seriously harmed by the defendants’ theft of ZeniMax’s breakthrough VR technology and its verdict reflected that harm,” their statement reads.
The lawsuit started in May 2014 (when Zenimax believed that John Carmack, the father of the FPS genre, might have taken confidental information with him to Oculus from id Software), and initially, Zenimax demanded at least six billion dollars. At least the case is now over…
Source: VG247
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