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Patent Infringement Claim Filed on id Software
DALLAS, TX - On August 8, 1997, id Software received a certified letter from Director George J. Tenet of the Central Intelligence Agency concerning an apparent violation of US Patent No. 2,338, which, if true and valid, may significantly affect the fundamental design of nearly every videogame currently in production.
The government organization's patent covers the use of "subliminal messaging technology in the form of words or abstract concepts of violence such as murder, rape, etc. displayed on a television screen or other cathode ray tube and buried within a seemingly harmless form of entertainment."
The letter from the CIA states that, "An examination of your violent videogames such as Wolfenstein 3-D, DOOM, and Quake indicates that they infringe our patent. Since there did not seem to be any serious interest in our offer for a partnership to bring urban violence in America to an all-time high (thereby giving the government an excuse to declare martial law) during previous correspondence and phone conversations, we must ask that you and your enterprises immediately cease and desist from further manufacture, sale, and use of such mind-altering videogames."
"While we are strong supporters of progress and technology, we cannot allow unaffiliated parties to infringe our patents and possibly interfere with our activities," commented Director Tenet. "The situation with the videogame industry is almost as severe as our current shortage of drugs to supply the nation's ghettoes with."
id Software has refused to comment at this time.
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